Nothing Else Matters
by Jade Ice Fire
Summary: Back together again, Sam and Dean have stumbled upon a case involving a girl and her missing brother. Strange coincidences make the search somewhat painful for the boys as they get closer to the truth. Set around the beginning of season 8 No pairings
1. Chapter 1

Nothing Else Matters

Chapter One: We've stumbled on to something

* * *

Room seven at the King's Knight Motel sat in murky darkness thanks to the heavy, cheap velvet drapes adorning the soap spotted window. A lingering scent of sandalwood and mothballs trumped the musty stale air emanating from the once shag carpet.

Through the thin walls a low rumbling purr vibrated the tempered glass, dying away with twin squeaks, metal on aged hinges, announcing an arrival outside. The tinkling of keys danced into the space and a lock clicked then the hollow motel door swung wide preceding a gruff, annoyed voice.

"You know what you are Sammy? A pain in my ass, lay off already."

Dean Winchester blew in like a typhoon, flinging his duffle with practiced ease onto the bed closest to the door, hitting dead center on the ugly puce comforter that adorned its lumpy surface.

He scrubbed a hand down his whiskered face, rolling his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

Sam strode in behind him, wearing his 'bitch face of doom', as Dean so aptly dubbed it, closing the peeling, cracked door behind him. His brother was pacing again, already wearing a path in the vomit colored carpet.

Glancing around nearly made him groan aloud. Goldenrod yellow coated the walls; cheap dark stained furniture along with framed prints of long ago kings adorned the space and it smelled like month old gym socks. He was so getting some air freshener before the end of the day.

"Dean Come on…" he started, but true to self, Dean Winchester was in no mood to share and avoided any eye contact.

A few hours outside of Lexington Kentucky all the sudden Sam wanted to play Doctor Phil, but Dean was still pissed about purgatory, and all his brother's confessions set his teeth on edge.

When Sam huffed Dean shot him a glare, his jaw flexed and he knew he had to get out of there before he did something he might regret later.

He pushed Sam aside and bolted, slamming the door behind him as he went.

Sam, letting a pent up breath shoot out with a whoosh, folded his long frame into the cheap wobbly chair beside the requisite small table, rubbing his burning dry eyes as he groaned "This is going to be one hell of a week."

...

The late afternoon sun had Dean squinting into the ripples of heat coming off the black top.  
He swiped at his temple as beads of sweat formed, dampening his short hair.

They had driven straight down from Kentucky in order to leave that last case in the dust, avoiding all major highways and sticking to the back roads.

He'd left the navigation to Sam, as per the norm, and they rolled into this little Podunk haven that sat east of the Mississippi just after one o'clock.

Dean peered down the main strip swearing he could see the whole town in one glance and made a rude noise in the back of his throat, peeling off his button down blue plaid shirt, tying it round his waist as he strode across the street to the local diner.

The AC was kicked up on max and he felt immediate relief from the blistering late summer heat outside.

Scanning the place he took a seat at the counter. A menu appeared and he looked it over, setting it down pretty quick. It was a standard diner with familiar fare, seemed like every small town had one or two.

The booths had red vinyl seats and a fake wood grain lacquered table top set with the customary shakers and metal napkin holders. The floor was some kind of marbled linoleum grey and the counter a Formica laminate, the edges worn by age. The stools bolted to the floor were of a dull chrome cast that boasted the same deep red vinyl seats as the booths.

Usual kitchen in the back with a window space for orders, there was even a TV set mounted in the far corner above the counter with the volume turned low. It could be a carbon copy of the last three diners he'd been in before purgatory, before hell, before Dad…

Dean firmly pushed that shit down and buried it then nodded to the waitress who slunk up to take his order with a too big grin on her lips. "What can I get you hun?"

Her southern drawl was about as fake as Dean's smile when he handed over the menu "Coffee and a slice of pecan pie."

"Commin' right up" she winked, darting off to get his order. He was damn surprised she hadn't added darlin' to that cliché crap she was churning out. He shivered at the implications. The girl was at least ten years younger than he and flirted with strangers off the street. It screamed small town girl looking for a way out and didn't care how she got it. No matter her cute upturned nose and corkscrew curls, or the curves and big brown Bambi eyes, that girl was trouble with a capital T.

His eyes drifted over the other customers, categorizing them quickly.  
Two old guys in the corner booth by the sun drenched windows were old buddies bitchin' over their fourth or fifth cup of Joe, regulars.

A single mother had the booth closest to the front doors, her two kids doing their damnedest to wear more food than eat it, while she huffed, rubbing at a migraine in the making.

There was an old trucker sitting a few seats down from him, sopping up gravy with a biscuit, his eyes glued to the news and weather.

That was it, besides him and the girl in the back corner booth, beside the employee exit; a prime seat to observe and give a quick escape in case anything went down. A seat that Dean would have taken had she not already been there with her notebooks and maps, papers scattered over every possible inch of the table. All that and she'd only ordered coffee.  
'The waitress must love that' he snarked in his mind, grinning over his shoulder.

He would have classified her as a student or into topography research from the looks of the maps, but there were no colleges around for a good ways and she didn't seem to be a regular even though no one paid her any mind, so she had been here before doing the same routine with the research…

That got Dean's attention.  
He eyed the girl more carefully. She was petite, even sitting down he could tell she was shorter than average, she wore silver wire framed glasses that hid her eyes but slipped down her nose every time she looked at her notes.  
Dark brown waves sat piled upon her head in a messy bun stuck through with a pencil to hold it in place and her dark blue shirt was buttoned wrong at the top, giving a peek of the grey tank she wore underneath.

She was pretty cute… for a nerd. There was no way that girl was a hunter. She looked determined, maybe looking for something big, something important, but it wasn't his kind of thing.

Dean eyes shifted back to the TV as the waitress, 'Margie' her tag read, placed his pie before him and poured a cup of dark roasted brew into his waiting cup. "Thanks" He sent her scurrying off with a dimpled grin as he palmed the mug, inhaling the rich aroma coming up off the steam.

The bell above the door jingled merrily just as he forked a bite of pie, which was left uneaten with a heavy sigh when he saw who it was.

Sam ambled in, casing the place like usual before taking the seat beside his brother. He progressed slowly, like he was afraid he would scare Dean off again with any wrong move.

Margie, practically skipping, came to a full stop in front of them holding the coffee pot.  
Sam gave her a quick quirk of a smile and nodded, letting her pour him a cup, then he waved her off and turned to his brother. "Dean, I really think we should talk about this."

Dean pressed his fingertips into his forehead, feeling empathy for the mom behind them. He could feel a headache coming already.

"Sam…"

"Shit!"

The sudden exclamation drew every one's attention to the booth at the back.

The nerd girl was frantically gathering up her papers, her glasses shoved up like a headband resting in her hair. She quickly snatched up a pencil, jotting something down in the margins of her notes and then secured it between her teeth in her haste to get out of there.

She never even noticed the attention she had garnered as she dropped a twenty on the table and, clutching the mass of materials to her chest, left the diner in a gust of motion, with a wild look in her eye that was familiar to both the hunters she passed along the way.

Margie clucked her tongue as soon as the door swung shut. "There she goes again…"

"That poor gal just don't give up" stated an old man in the window booth, "reminds me of my second wife. Hell of a woman, spitfire Irish she was."

"It's a damned shame" agreed the other, ignoring the tangent his friend had drifted off in.

"Wasn't she in here last week too?" The trucker down at the end of the counter asked, "Could of sworn I saw her on my way to pick up my load."

Margie sighed "The Sheriff's done told her they were working on it best they can. Aint nothing she can do to find that guy any faster. Barns done chased her off from the station twice." She giggled as she pulled out her pink encased cell phone, her thumbs flying over the screen sending out a text.

Dean's gaze met Sam's and his arched brow said 'people man' as he rolled his eyes.

Sam took a breath and it caught when his attention shifted to a piece of paper lying at their feet. He bent down and retrieved it, eyes quickly scanning the untidy handwriting. His jaw flexed and he folded the paper, jamming it into his back pocket.

Clearing his throat, Sam launched his earnest expression and called out "Hey… Margie?"

Dean shot his brother a 'what are you doing' look and Sam shrugged. 'Just go with it' was implied.

Margie tucked away her phone and sauntered up to stand in front of him, leaning a little over the surface of the counter to give him a peek at her nonexistent cleavage. "Hey" she said sweetly.

Dean could barely keep his snort contained.

It was a herculean effort on Sam's end not to grimace at the shameless behavior and he smiled, though it looked a bit pained honestly.  
"Uh… about what you just said, about the girl that just left…" Sam gave a minuscule shake of his head as he asked "what's the story there?"

Margie pouted at his question but humans were a social creature and she liked to gossip.

"Well" she drawled all breathy like, "A few weeks back we had some people go missing, drifters mostly, not anybody folks would miss you know?" She sighed dramatically, twirling a curl around her finger absently. Dean had the quick thought that she was just missing some gum popping to round out the image. He snorted softly into his coffee, hiding his smirk.

"One of these guys was a trucker on his way back home supposedly. I don't set much to store by truckers, except Earl here" she nodded to the man down the way. "He's a good one. Lives right on the other side of town." She nodded adamantly. "Well this fella was headed home for the weekend or whatever" she waved her hand with the roll of her eyes. Margie clearly had an opinion on truckers, other than Earl anyway.

Her nose scrunched up like she'd eaten a bad egg.  
"That girl came blowin into town asking questions, causing a ruckus after three days of no news. Evidently the guy's her brother" she rolled her eyes with the shake of her head and Dean's jaw clenched. She was really starting to irritate him. "The Sheriff's done told her to leave it alone, that they were doing everything they can to find him and his truck, had to throw her out of the Sheriff's station even!"

Margie poured Dean a refill absently and sighed. "Then she starts commin' in here all hours of the day, spreadin' her maps around and taking up the table, keeping me from some good tips you know."

Dean doubted that, this little shit town didn't have much in the way of commerce. He was surprised it was still running at all.

"Anyway, she's just crazy. Tommy, down at the service station, said she keeps filling that gas guzzler of hers and going out to follow the guys trail or whatever… If you ask me, he ran off. Those types always do."

Sam shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Has there been any news, at all?"

Margie shook her head "No, we have local stuff going on, the Sheriff aint going to waste time or guys on some nobody that probably just ran off."

Sam didn't miss the sour look on his brother's face after that and he gave her a somewhat sickly smile, hiding it behind his cup. He placed the mug down and fidgeted with it.

"So… what's the local stuff?" He asked, looking up at her from beneath his lashes.

Margie stood transfixed by the patented puppy dog look, her breathing hitched and Sam saw the pupils in her eyes dilate. Dean nearly choked on his pie and Sam shot him a glare.

"Well… I'm not really supposed to be telling you this, but my friend Sally works down at the station as a receptionist and she said that the Sheriff and his boys found animal mutilations and devil worship stuff painted on the walls of the old tobacco barn out of Clifton road. She said it was painted in blood." Margie shivered looking squeamish.

Just then a couple came in arguing loudly and took the booth recently vacated by their mystery girl. Margie shot Sam an apologetic look and darted away to take care of them.

"Well that sounds like normal, small town creepy." The sarcasm could drip it was so thick.

Sam shook his head, thinking. "Probably just some teenagers messing around" he said distractedly.

"Yeah, when did teenagers messing around go well for us?" Dean wadded up his napkin and threw it on the empty plate. He looked at Sam pointedly and waited.

Sam sighed, closing his eyes in resignation. "No harm in checking it out."

Dean stood dropping a ten on the counter before leaving him behind. Sam grimaced and tossed another five down along with it before following.

Twenty minutes of tense silence later they were dressed in standard suit and tie making for the Impala, both falling into their roles like a well-oiled machine.

* * *

_A/N: Hope you like this story and I know I would like your opinions about it so please review. This is my first Supernatural fict and I tried to keep it in character since I am a big fan of the show. There will be more to come as I have the whole of the story written out I just have to type it up and upload it so there will be a complete on this by the end. The time frame is, of course, after Dean has returned from purgatory and Sam has returned from the mundane. _


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing Else Matters

Chapter Two: Something stinks in Stonewater

* * *

.o0o.

The Stonewater Sheriff's station was a squat little brown brick building sitting right next to the train tracks that ran through down town.  
The interior walls were painted a mellow yellow shade that reflected the fluorescent lighting, keeping the space dim rather than brightening it. Dark wood desks were spaced here and there, not a lot of paper pushers working evidently, the glass doors opened to an enclosed lobby with a receptionist sitting behind a low wall, separated from the waiting room by bullet proof glass.

There really wasn't much to it. Most of the cops probably drove around all day waiting for a call.

The Sheriff stood before the boys with his hands on his wide hips, glowering.  
"Why are the Feds so interested in small town bullshit?"

Harrison Barns was a hard ass, plain and simple, and not the likable kind either.  
'Two hundred and fifty pounds of self-righteous bully with a gun' Dean thought in scorn.

The man stood around five foot seven wearing a snug tan uniform, his belt decked out with every gizmo allowed and he wore it like some old west gunslinger.

Dean gave the man a stiff smile, his eyes hard.  
"We tend to take missing people and blood sacrifices pretty serious at the Bureau."

Sam grimaced slightly at his brother's tone.  
He had acknowledged this wasn't going to go well from the moment they'd flashed their badges, but Dean could be less of an ass about the whole thing.

Sheriff Barns hitched up his belt under his protruding gut, face reddening beneath a bushy white mustache.

It seemed as though he was gearing up to spit his wad of chew all over Dean's shoes.

Ever the mediator, Sam stepped up using his placating tone on the man.  
"What my partner means is that this concerns everyone here, especially when good people go missing. We just want to give their families closure."

The Sheriff twitched his upper lip, making his facial hair resemble a caterpillar. He grumbled, waving them back to his office, away from the two other officers and nosy receptionist.

Sam shot his brother a 'behave' look but Dean just shrugged.

"You fella's will be glad to know that the blood we found on the walls was pig, not people." The man said as they walked back to the small office in the corner.

He shook his head slowly and then said to Sam "Now, these missing folks, we don't really have any leads. No security cameras in these parts aside from the one at the bank, the one here and a home system rigged up by Lenny down at the lumber yard."

He led them inside with a gesture to sit and rounded his desk. "Not much you Fed boys can help with really."

The man stared down his nose at Dean, hands back on his hips as he smiled smugly.

Dean felt those hackles of his rise up and wanted nothing more than to punch the arrogant fuck in the face, but he settled for a snarky "We'll see about that" giving the man his own version of hard-nosed Bureaucrat.  
"I wouldn't try to impede a federal investigation Sheriff, you're not above reproach. I'm sure you know what that will mean for this sleepy little town and I don't want to have to put in a call to our supervisor."

He studiously ignored his brother, keeping his hard gaze on the pompous ass in front of him.

The Sheriff visibly deflated, capitulating quickly after that. "Of course" he laughed nervously, "We'll do all we can to help you agents. Just don't see a reason for all this fuss…"

Dean's brow creased deeply. "There are people missing, people that have families looking for them. These people disappeared from your town and you don't seem too inclined to look for them. So you tell me Sheriff, why shouldn't we be concerned?"

.o0o.

Dean pounded down the steps of the Station house, yanking at his tie, Sam hot on his heels.

"What the hell was that?"

He turned to his little brother with a hostile air, "Don't even start Sam, that guy was a dick."

Sam huffed, "It doesn't matter Dean. We're supposed to stay below the radar here; he's probably in there right now going through the data base." His hand was flung out to encompass the building behind them and Dean's mouth twisted into a sour sneer.

"Who gives a shit Sammy? Let Fife look, it's not like they are doing shit to find these people!"

Sam straightened his shoulders defensively, his face stoic.  
"Is this really about those people Dean or is this about the fact that I didn't look for you?"

Dean threw his arms up, beyond caring at this point. "Take your pick" he snapped, then rubbed his face with one hand. He already needed a shave.

Sam looked away, hiding his reaction to Dean's sudden honesty.

Dean watched him for a second, then looked down the street and sighed.  
"You check out the library, see what diner chick was looking at. I'll go talk to that Tommy guy and fill baby up while I'm at it."

Dean walked off towards the car, leaving a silent Sam standing in the middle of the parking lot.

.o0o.

As Dean questioned the gas attendant Sam did as he was told and slipped into the small library a block down the street from the Sheriff station.

The firehouse was in between them, making Sam marvel at how small the town really was. He could probably walk from one end to the other in an hour.

The librarian was all too happy to help him in his pursuit for information. Evidently she had a thing for tall, dark, awkward men, if her hovering over him was any clue.

She pulled most of the material she could remember the girl looking at, smiling dazedly at him all the while.  
The woman was obviously starved for affection; single, in her early forties and living at home with her elderly mother, caring for her in her long time illness. A history lesson Sam could have done without but it helped get her to comply that much easier.

"So, um… Karen, did the girl ask to see any maps or blueprints of the town?" He smiled uncomfortably as she brushed against his arm for the third time. A breath nearly had him choking as the scent of her liberally applied hairspray hovered around his head. The poor woman was almost flammable.

Karen fluttered about like a girl half her age and brought an arm full of rolled papers over to spread before him. The maps took over the table and his mouth pulled down in an impressed manner.

Diner girl had really covered the bases. He could practically see her thought process as he dug through the information, jotting down his own notes on a yellow legal pad.

From what he gathered, she had come to town three days after her brother had gone missing, about a week and two days ago. She tried to work with the Sheriff but he knew how that had worked out. Sam shook his head at the thought of how inept the man acted.  
He looked at another page of the report she'd filed. The guy, her brother, didn't sound like he would just up and leave his family. From what she had written on the form, he could tell she really respected the man.

A wave of remorse rushed through him when his thoughts turned to his own brother.  
He'd tried to get Dean to tell him what happened while he was away but he just wouldn't open up. Sam knew it was his betrayal that had broke their trust, but he hadn't seen any other options at the time.

Sam remembered clearly his long ago rage, the toxic emotion that had cost him so much. It had suffocated him, like nothing else, but when Dean disappeared… after Bobby, and he'd lost everything, everything he believed in he just couldn't do it anymore.

So he let go.

Apathetic and numb, he had wandered like a ship without sails, drifting. He'd wanted to find something, anything that could help restore his faith and his will to live.

Then he met Amelia, and she was so familiar to him, a small piece of what he'd had before and he latched onto her.

When he found out that she was just as broken as he was, when she brought things he'd never had before into his life, it made him grab that last life-line and hold tight.

Slowly, he let himself move on.

But then Dean was back, and Amelia's husband was alive… Sam did the only thing he could, the right thing.

He stepped back from that happiness and towards his brother, who he now knew he'd basically abandoned to another kind of hell. Towards danger and uncertainty in the hopes that he could find his absolution somehow, and finally be at peace. Because he knew there was really only one way to find what he was looking for.

Guilt ate at him for the direction his thoughts were taking. It settled in his stomach like ice, but he knew he'd never be able to tell Dean how he felt. It would tear him apart and he had no desire to do that to the man that practically raised him.

Sam blinked, bringing him back to the stuffy little library that smelled like little kids and mold.  
Clearing his throat he tapped a space on the map with his finger. "Karen, what is this?"

Karen came bustling over, her long beaded necklace clattering madly with her movement.  
Squinting through her glasses she hummed. "Oh that's the old gravel pit. Delta Construction used it back before they went bankrupt. The property reverted back to the county so it's just been sitting there, like a lot of things in this town. The paper mill closed down five years ago and I heard the lumber yard was having problems now."

Sam nodded "Have there been any disappearances around these parts, like there are now I mean?"

"Oh honey, every ten years or so people just up and vanish. Drifters mostly, but nobody ever goes looking for them. Strange really, Harrison's family has been policing this town for generations so he'd be the one to ask. I'm not really surprised though, he's not exactly the reliable type you know?" She patted his arm fondly and Sam smiled clumsily once again, edging away from her by a fraction.

"That old codger thinks he's boss hog or something, still manages to get him-self reelected every year though. I suspect he's buying the votes, but that's just me."

Karen wandered off still muttering to herself, leaving Sam frowning over that last bit of news.  
There was something wrong with this town.

.o0o.

"What is it with these back woods, hick towns man?"

Sam's brow shot up as he walked over to his brother, who was leaning against the Impala.  
"What, did you get propositioned by a guy with a banjo?"

Dean's brow went down in a glower as his freakishly tall little brother's lips quirked, fighting a smile.  
Sam's hair and dark red tie flapped in the heated breeze as he squinted against the sun, shading his eyes with the papers clutched in his hand.

"Well, evidently there have been reports of missing drifters like this before." He said as Dean scanned the area around them, his arms crossed over his chest.

"How many are we talkin about?"

"Uh, for the last sixty years, every ten years, about seven to ten people each time." Sam offered him the notes he'd made.

"Damn" Dean said taking the papers from his outstretched hand.

"Yeah" Sam huffed out. "And get this, the Sheriff inherited his candidacy."

He caught Deans look and nodded.  
"Yep, all the way back to 1952, explains why he doesn't think it's that big a deal."

Dean huffed "Shit, and here I was thinking it just cut into miller time." He shook his head.  
"I hate when this happens."

Sam looked around through the slits of his eyes "Seems like the old rock quarry is the place to scope out, it hasn't been used in years and it's big enough to hide a semi-truck and trailer."

Dean pushed himself to standing, folding the papers he held in half, gesturing with them.  
"Tommy boy from the sip-n-go said diner chick headed out that way earlier. I say we slip out of these monkey suits and get down to business."

Sam agreed, waiting for Dean to round the car before opening the passenger side door.

"I just hope we don't have another missing persons on our hands."

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoy the story. Please leave a review if you did so I know how I'm doing!


	3. Chapter 3

Nothing else Matters

Chapter Three: The Coincidental Conundrum

* * *

Dean killed the engine letting them roll to a stop, gravel crunching beneath the tires.  
Eyes already scanning the terrain in full hunter mode, he grunted at the mess below.  
It was an over grown, abandoned piece of crap with no tactical advantage in their favor.

Sam took up the binoculars, sweeping the area carefully.

Pulled off to the side, about a hundred yards up from the entrance to the quarry, was a chalky gray Plymouth 'Cuda, circa 1970.

He nudged his brother and pointed with a jutting chin. Dean snagged the field glasses from him and his brow quirked as he spotted the car.

A low whistle cut through the silence. "Chicks got good taste in wheels."

Sam rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Following his brother's lead in exiting the Impala, he pulled the bags they'd filled beforehand from the back seat.

Loaded up, gazes clashing in a nod, Dean smirked.  
It was time to rock and roll.

Sam held a sawed off with extra ammo on a belt slung across his body.

Dean hefted the pack onto his right shoulder, palming his .45 and signaled Sam with a hand gesture.

Sam took Dean's six, covering his back with the shotgun, the demon killing knife tucked away in the jacket lining's special pocket.

Their boots crunched in the loose gravel, muffled by their cautious steps as they slowly advanced.

Making it down to the pit a good ten minutes later, their ears strained for any new sound as eyes narrowed against the setting sun.

A sudden skittering of rocks had them both shifting as one, swiftly to the left.

The shocked expression on the diner girl's face had them lowering their weapons, dropping their stance in an attempt to ease her alarm.

"I know I'm trespassing here guys but… don't you think that's a little excessive?"

Dean snorted softly. She stood a few feet away on an incline, holding a camera with a bag draped across her body, hitting her hip. Her hair was a tangled mess around her head and she had a bleeding line adorning her cheek. Not exactly monster material.

He settled for scowling at the woman as he flicked the safety on and tucked the gun away in his waistband.

"You got that right sister, time to vacate the premises."

She obviously took offence to his tone as noted by her shoulders squaring, a glare sliding into place behind her eyes (which were green if anybody wanted to know).

"Look, shoot me if you want, but I am not leaving without searching this place from bottom to top. My brother is missing and I'm not going anywhere until I find him."

Dean felt that deep.

Sam must have seen it on his face because he shifted uncomfortably beside him.

The younger Winchester cleared his throat, putting his best puppy eyed expression into play.  
"We get that, we do" he insisted when she made to speak "but it isn't safe for you to be out here. Your brother wouldn't want you to get hurt looking for him, would he?"

The girl's left brow dipped and Dean could have sworn her eyes went a hard blue for just a second there.

She smirked, brushing at her face. "The only danger I've seen so far has been you two and the sticker bushes. I've been out here for over an hour now." She slid down the rest of the way and came to a stop seven feet in front of them.

Now that he had a moment he realized she was still dressed as she was in the diner, wrong buttoned blue shirt over gray tank, jeans and dark brown hiking boots. She shook out her hair with a grimace, pulling a briar stem from the mess of waves that tumbled down her back. She was missing the glasses and looked more like nature photographer than nerd now.

The girl was kind-of pretty, in the classical sense.  
Dean grinned slowly and she cocked her head to the side, looking from him to Sam.

"Is he okay?"

Dean scowled as Sam smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, just an idiot" he huffed.

She tried to hide her amusement but Dean had already turned to give his brother a 'shut the hell up' glare.

He was ignored of course. Sam stepped around him holding out his hand, gun pointed at the ground with his left.

"I'm Sam, this is Dean" he offered as she acknowledged his proffered greeting.

Her grip was firm "Kim, nice to meet you."

Sam stepped back and continued "If you don't mind me asking…" He waited for her nod.  
"Why are you searching for your brother out here? Didn't he go missing closer to town?"

Of course he already knew the answer but he wanted to prove something to himself. He could be wrong.

She wrinkled her brow though and sighed. "You guys aren't county workers are you?"

He smiled, almost pleased it seemed. "Uh, no we're not." He glanced at Dean who flipped out his badge with ease, Sam doing the same.

She eyed the names "Agent's Young and Johnson?"

"Yeah, well… the local fuzz didn't seem too concerned about this" Dean tucked his fake ID back into his pocket as he edged closer "…but that's not us. We're not overly impressed with Barney Fife either."

She took a shaky breath, "That's good to hear. My brother Kevin… he isn't like that." Her earnest gaze met with each of theirs and they knew she believed that with her whole heart. "He wouldn't just run off without his wife."

Dean looked at his brother and frowned.

"He's a trucker sure, but that's just a job. He loves my sister-in-law way too much to leave her behind."  
Her eyes were closed and she clamped down, jaw twitching as she shook her head.

So he wouldn't leave without his wife but he would leave his sister in the dust? That sounded …familiar Dean thought.

The girl, Kim, pushed her hair back "Anyway, I did some digging and found this place, figured it's a good spot to stash a bright, cherry red semi and trailer full of frozen chicken." She grinned toothily at them and Sam had to suppress his chuckle.

Then he nodded in agreement.

Dean looked from the girl to his kid brother and rolled his eyes. "If you can keep quiet and out of the way, we'll let you tag along behind us."

Sam looked at Dean like he had grown another head, but Dean did his best to ignore him as Kim complied, falling behind them without a word.

The light was fading fast so they set out in the direction she hadn't started searching yet.

A few minutes later, when they had pulled far enough ahead, Sam slipped up beside Dean.  
"What the hell are you thinking?" He hissed out, scowl plain on his face.

Dean shook his head. "She's looking for her brother Sam, she isn't just going to scamper off and leave it to the authorities. For all we know the whole Sheriff's department is in on this. It's better to stay together where we can protect her."

Sam glanced back at the girl who was pushing through a large tangle of brambles in order to keep up with their long strides, uncomplaining, and had to concede. She looked like a stubborn one.

"Have you noticed the way she follows your hand signals?"

Dean grinned back at their shadow and his eyebrows quirked as he turned back. Sam huffed at the look.

"So she's had some kind of training, maybe her brother is ex-military." Dean hissed back as they came to a ledge and he hopped down without waiting, sweeping the brush with the toe of his boot, wary of snakes.

Sam watched after his brother shaking his head.

Kim moved up beside him "You girls done whispering your secrets up here?"

She arched her brow at his pointed look and hopped down the embankment with a smirk.  
Sam followed wondering what he'd done to get stuck with the two smart asses in front of him.

A few minutes passed and Sam caught up to the girl, keeping pace by her side. He glanced at her every so often, as if trying to figure her out.

She looked over and sighed. "What is it?"

Sam shook his head then opened his mouth in contradiction. "How did you know he was missing?"

Kim looked over her shoulder at him as they passed a narrow curve in the deer path. "He has a Facebook page; I keep up with him through that and texts. Lisa, his wife, also keeps us up to date." She shrugged missing the shared glance between the brothers at the utterance of yet another familiar name.  
Sam couldn't really read Dean's expression in the growing dark.

"So he didn't check in?" He prompted.

Kim shook her head. Sam let the silence stretch after that, swallowing against the sudden dry mouth he was experiencing. She was toting around some weird kind of karma with her, making him feel the guilt he'd gained over the last few years in regards to his brother. Like Dean had said, coincidences didn't happen coincidentally, not in their lives anyway.

Kim followed Dean around the bend only to come out a few yards from where they had started.

There had been no sign of human traffic anywhere.

"Well that was a bust" Dean said as he swung his pack down by his feet. He sat on the open edge of the Impala's trunk as Sam dug around for a water bottle, handing it to his brother a moment later.

Kim sighed, shaking her hair off her neck as Dean uncapped the water and took a long drink.

The moon was hidden among the pines as crickets chirred in the tall grasses along the road beside them.  
It was quiet otherwise, almost peaceful if not for the heat.

Dean drained the bottle and tossed it into the space behind him. Sam handed the girl another bottle that she took with a slight smile of thanks, trying not to feel the dirt and grit mixed with sweat and disappointment clinging to her like a second skin.

"I just don't get it" she said as she peered back into the gloom of the pit below.

Sam set his jaw, saying grimly "Kim, you need to consider the possibility…"

"No" It was sharp and hard as the glare she cut at him.  
"He is my brother and I will never stop looking. If I don't see a body then he's not gone."

Her teeth clenched and Dean watched her, his eyes filled with a weary understanding. Then she shook her head and faced them again, her shoulders squared. "See you around."

Then she was moving back up the rock-strewn lane with a resolute stride, towards her own car, leaving the two men in an awkward silence.

Dean just pushed out a reverential "huh" and stood, closing the trunk with a heavy hand. Crossing to the driver's side he watched as she drove off in a cloud of dust, shaking his head as he climbed into his beloved Baby.

Sam didn't want to get in the car after that, but he took a deep breath and folded down into the seat.  
The silence on the drive back was inevitable.

.o0o.

When they pulled up to the motel the gray 'Cuda parked up by the check-in office was easily spotted.

Dean met Sam's gaze for the first time since they'd left the quarry.

"Small towns" was all he said as he parked a few spaces down from their room.

Dean moved to the back and let Sam grab his bag, watching as his little brother headed inside with slumped shoulders. His jaw ticked as he leaned in to grab his own duffle, white knuckling it as he slammed the trunk shut.  
She was standing there when he looked up; sending a strange shiver over his spine, too many happenstances in a short amount of time does that to a hunter.

Kim tilted her head to the side as she stared back a few doors down from their own.  
"The government can't afford to put you guys up at the hotel?"

Dean glanced at the mint green painted brick and peeling salmon pink doors of the motel and shrugged "Nah, they like to cut corners where they can."

She gave him a half smile, in parts polite and wary at the same time. He realized that this all might seem weird for her as well, as long as she wasn't some evil bitch come gunning for the Winchesters that is.

She nodded, making to enter her room when she paused. "I didn't say it earlier, but thanks for letting me tag along today. I know it probably went against protocol…"

Dean hefted the bag up and strode over to the paved walk along the rooms, a few feet away from their door. She really didn't seem like she knew them, but he had to be careful.

"I understand the need to see your family safe. Hell, I've been there a time-or-two myself. There's no need for thanks, I just wish we'd found something. Cristo willing you know?"

Kim smiled at him, her expression telling him she found the use of Crist's name in Latin a bit odd, but her eyes didn't go dark and he felt pressure fall away at the passing of that test.

She gave a shake of her head and spoke "Anyway… tell Sam sorry, about earlier. I didn't mean to snap at him like that. It's just… all this." She gestured with her hand and let out a self-depreciating chuckle.  
"I'm not my best at the moment."

Dean shook his head "No, I really understand what you are going through and it's not easy. He can be a real downer at times, what can I say."

She smiled again and bobbed her head, key smacking the plastic oval key ring as she placed it in her pocket. "Thanks Dean" she said softly before ducking into her room and shutting the door.

Dean sighed, staring up at the neon vacancy sign for a long second.

As he strode into the crappy room he shared with his kid brother he called out "I get first shower!"

.o0o.

Sam was clacking away at his laptop, set up on the small round table by the window, when Dean stepped out from a rolling cloud of steam clutching a towel round his waist.

"Got to hand it to them, the water pressure here is actually pretty good."

Sam glanced up "Is there any hot water left?"

Dean grinned. "You might want to give it a minute" he said digging through his duffle for a shirt.  
Finding it with a quiet "aha" he strode back into the bathroom with the dangling bulk of clothes in his right hand.

"You know diner girl…" Sam paused, his mouth in a frown before he corrected himself "…Kim, did pretty thorough ground work. Karen, from the library, said she was in there from opening to close for the last three days."

Dean walked back into the room barefoot, now wearing jeans and a gray T-shirt. He popped the top off a beer he grabbed from the mini fridge, taking a healthy swig.

He shrugged as he sank onto the corner of Sam's bed. "She's determined to find her brother. That kind of motivation can make things happen Sammy."

The tension that was threading through him from earlier was back just like that. He watched the elder Winchester from the corner of his eye, but Dean didn't seem to be rubbing the last year in his face just then, he only looked worn and weary.

"Dean…"

"She said sorry by the way" Dean cut in, snorting at his little brothers questioning stare.  
"For snapping at you earlier man, she apologized."

"Oh"

Dean moved, crossing the floor to pick up some papers from their pile of research and a beef jerky stick from the bag in his chair. He ambled over to his own bed then and flopped down to read.

Sam felt pressure shivering along his nerve endings, weighing down on his shoulders heavily. Dean's bull headed attempt at ignoring the situation between them was getting to him in a bad way. He needed to get out from under the oppressive atmosphere.

Huffing silently, he stood. "I'm going …for a walk or something."  
Not waiting for a response he quickly stepped out into the sticky night air.

With a barrier between them Sam could finally breathe. He stood there a moment just trying to shake off the constrictions.

He debated going for a walk but he didn't really want to be alone with his thoughts and he couldn't go back in that room, not yet anyway.  
The scuff of a shoe on pavement drew his attention and Sam looked up across the parking lot, spotting the girl from earlier. She was headed towards the diner and Sam made the snap decision to follow her. In a hunters life there were no coincidences but she was so far from the way Meg and he met that he really didn't think she was a set up. Still it would do them good to make sure.

His long legged stride had him overtaking her quickly and he saddled up beside her, his hands in his pockets to show a non-threatening stance. "Hey" he called slowing up to match her pace.

She glanced up startled, veering away slightly from his towering form.  
"Oh, hey… um, sorry about earlier…"

She smiled awkwardly and he couldn't keep the grin off his face. A dimple appeared in his cheek as he shook his head. "No problem. I understand completely… he's family." It came out as a sigh and her brow twitched up.

"Sounds like we both have family issues." She said knowingly, her lips in a thin sardonic smile.

Sam met her gaze and his head cocked to the side in question but she shook hers to the negative, not ready to talk just yet. "You hungry?"

He followed her gesture to the eatery before them and he nodded, the glow of the lights glinting off his eyes. "Yeah" he said as if just realizing his hunger "I could eat."

* * *

A/N: A little longer than previous chapters. Hope you like it. I have people to draw from in real life so these characters are not 100% made up. I didn't change their names to fit the story either so that's a little fun fact there. Please leave a review if you enjoyed it! Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

Nothing Else Matters

Chapter Four: Getting to know you

* * *

.o0o.

He held the door open for her like a gentleman and she snickered as they headed for the back booth.

Sam experienced an amused moment of confusion when his companion rushed passed him to grab the seat against the wall but he shrugged it off and slid onto the vinyl bench. A moment later the waitress popped up beside them with a wide smile for the girl across from him. Margie wasn't working nights, instead they were met by a woman in her late thirties with red hair Sam was almost sure wasn't natural.

"Hey Toni" Kim said returning the smile, only less obnoxiously.

"Kimmy, not getting yourself into trouble still are you?"

The woman's voice was thick as honey and she delighted in the blush that spread over the girls face.

"Storm into a Sheriff's office once and they'll never let you live it down." Kim muttered with a shy grin.

Sam felt the side of his mouth pull into a smile as Toni laughed outright. "Oh honey you are a card!"

Then her attention turned to him and he straightened in his seat. She was eyeing him like a side of beef.

"Well now, who do we have here?"

"Oh" Kim gestured slightly to Sam "This is Agent Young, he's just questioning me about my brother over diner."

Toni's eyes glittered in some repressed emotion "Agent?" She nodded in understanding but Sam caught her narrowing gaze. He filed that away for later and ordered the least unhealthy thing off the menu, Kim following suit.

The two fell into conversation after the woman wandered off to tack their order up.

"So your partner… he back at the motel?" Kim asked stripping her straw before plunking it into her sweet tea.

Sam nodded his jaw flexing. "Yeah, I'll uh… I'll get him something to go later."

"I could sense a bit of tension between you two back at the pit" she hedged, but decided against prying. "Well, better to let sleeping dogs lie or whatever." She waved her hand and took a pull from her drink.

He was glad she'd dropped that line of dialogue.

She seemed unassuming but he had a feeling she was sharper than people gave her credit for.

He steered the talk back her way. "So ah, tell me about your brother, Kevin was it?"

Kim ducked her head once and folded her hands on the table top like a little kid would, leaning up against them while swinging her feet below.

"Kevin Dalton Reid" she beamed "Like that movie Roadhouse."

Sam grinned at her obvious affection for the man.

Then her smile shifted and there was an underlying sadness she had hidden away.

"He really wouldn't just run off Sam" her sudden seriousness hit him in the gut.

"He loves Lisa more than his own life and, it wouldn't worry me so much if he was with her…but this is different. I mean he does love to roam but my brother is a man of principles. He has this… creed he lives by and he wouldn't throw it away like it was nothing."

He watched her shred a napkin as she struggled to make him understand and he could almost feel it across the narrow space between them. She reminded him of someone else just then and he frowned deeply.

Swallowing hard he leveled her with his curious stare.

"You know, earlier you seemed… less than forthcoming about family?"

Kim sighed heavily, meeting his eye with a frown of her own.

"Family… family doesn't always mean loyalty." She pushed out uncomfortably.

Sam's eyebrows went up and "I know" was out before he had a moment to think.

She held his gaze, her own shining with understanding, and he let the sudden tension fall from his shoulders with a sigh.

"Well, anyway Kevin, he may have his faults like anyone, but he's a good guy. So much better than me…"

Then she smiled sweetly catching him off guard. "He has his angel watching over him."

Sam gave her that clueless look and she blushed.

"Well, don't tell her I said that, Lisa's awesome but she can have a bit of an ego." Kim coughed out a discomfited laugh, making Sam chuckle.

The girl swirled her straw through the ice in her glass, thinking hard.

"My family was strong, once. My Granddad held all of us together, like glue."

She sat back, crossing her arms over herself. "After he died, everything began falling apart. No one came around anymore, holidays or not. Then my Grandmother had a stroke, my Uncle committed suicide." She took a shaky breath. "Kevin, he was always gone, Mom was a mess and then Dad… it sort of crumbled like wet sand." She picked at the napkin again, absentmindedly.

"What about you?"

"Me" she asked arching her brow. He was taken aback by the sardonic smirk that darkened her eyes. It was eerie how two people could be so similar.

"I stayed and cleaned up the mess like always." Kim said finally pushing the mutilated paper aside with a huff. "I took care of Mom until she remarried after Dad died. It didn't take long. She likes being taken care of so she found me a step-dad pretty quick. Kevin hated it, but it was her way." She shrugged and Sam frowned. It sounded messed up. Even normal families had crap dragging them down.

"Yeah my, ah… my grandfather kind of betrayed us, left me and my brother for dead."

Kim shook her head. "Family man…" They laughed, releasing them from the weight of the exchange.

He appreciated that she understood so well and didn't offer platitudes like others might.

"You remind me of my brother."  
It came out unintentionally and he sucked in a breath, holding it.

Kim looked at him strangely for a moment and said softly. "I hope that's a good thing."

Sam's eyes dipped to the table, then back up. "It is" the serious tone impressed his meaning and she shared her smile with him.

The mood lifted and he felt lighter than he had in a long while.

There was a momentary lapse as their food came out and they busied themselves with unrolling utensils and pouring ketchup. As Kim shook salt and dribbled honey over her mashed potatoes Sam's brow shot up.

"What?" She asked forking up the doctored spuds.

"That's disgusting."

She swallowed the mess and pointed her fork at him. "You haven't tried Carl's naked potatoes yet so don't judge."

Sam eyed his food warily making her laugh.

They ate slowly, letting the conversation flow in a companionable air that felt easy and normal. He was enjoying it, he found, and it surprised him. He didn't think he'd be …okay again for some time after Amelia and everything. It was nice. Especially when she didn't react to the salt he spilled over her hand.

Cardboard mashed potatoes and demon tests aside, the food was pretty good and Kim insisted on a plate of peach cobbler to share between them, reminding him to order Dean something to go.

Sam had taken a bite of the sweet concoction and nearly groaned aloud when Kim shifted in her seat, biting her lip worriedly.

"Can I ask you something?"

Sam nodded "Yeah, of course."

She leaned forward and dropped her voice. "As an FBI agent… is there any way you could check the data base for my brother?"

"Do what?" He was floored by the turn; it was so out of left field.

Kim closed her eyes as if working up to something big.

"Look, I'm taking a chance here and trusting you because you seem like the type to be …circumspect about this..." She rubbed her forehead.

"There have been some people, Veterans mostly, that have become discouraged by the way this country is being run, and they haven't been real quiet with their disapproval. Kevin… is kind-of like that."  
She frowned, hesitant in spilling such a secret to a stranger.  
"He's outspoken about this stuff… and he told me, well he implied, that they might just come after him, the government agencies I mean. Is there… anyway you could check, without tipping them off?"

Sam sat back, honestly shocked by her confession. It was a definite first for him.

He noticed the worried look on her face and spoke, thankful for his quick mind.

"I… They tend to keep that kind of thing pretty close to the vest Kim. I'm sorry, I just don't think…"

She held up a hand and shook her head. "It's fine Sam. Thanks anyway, it was stupid of me to ask."

She was totally serious about this.

"Was he part of a militia or something?"

Kim's eyes widened "No!"

Heads turned their way and she blushed, looking out the diner windows. Sam nodded an apology to the other patrons, looking back to her only when they'd turned away.

Kim looked sheepish. "It's nothing like that Sam" she said in a near whisper.

"He's not doing anything unconstitutional; he was in the military and takes that very seriously. He just teaches people survival skills now. I know it's a little 'Conspiracy Theory', but I'm desperate here."

She huffed out a laugh and his brow furrowed. She was getting under his skin and he didn't know what to think about that.

Giving her an out he changed the subject.

"Is that where you learned to read hand signals?"

She smiled and he ignored the moisture on her lashes.

"You must be pretty close, you and your brother." He said after a long pause that had them clearing their shared desert from the plate.

Kim's eyes became rather melancholy.  
"He practically raised me the first five or six years. Mom worked two jobs, Dad was a trucker and always gone, so it was just the two of us. He did a crappy job of it too." She smiled remembering something.

"Can you imagine a barefoot four year old stumbling through the woods while her older brother tried his best to lose her without losing her?" She chuckled, her eyes dancing. "All the times he protected me, taught me to say please and thank you, ma'am and sir… he even named me when I was born."

Sam sat up in his seat with a grin "Really?"

Kim nodded "Mom was all set to name me Jessica Rene but Kevin didn't like it at all."

Sam looked at her oddly but she wasn't paying any attention to it. Her eyes were far away in her memories. "He wanted us to have partially similar initials I guess. So I was named Kimberly Deanne Sawyer."

"D… Deanne?" Sam coughed, taking a sip from his water glass. She was really starting to freak him out.  
"Wait, did you say Sawyer?"

Kim nodded "Yeah, my brother and I are half siblings. Mom's had quite a few husbands, like I said."

Sam watched her as she went back to swirling her half melted ice in her glass. It was puzzling but she just didn't give off any bad vibes.  
"So, you mentioned a brother earlier, he older or younger?"

Sam let his lips spread into that slow smile of his. "Older" he said with a nod. "Like your brother, he always took care of me growing up."

He fiddled with the coffee cup that had come full with the cobbler, but was now only dregs.

Kim didn't pry at his sudden frown, only saying "For all that they can still be a pain in the ass."

She grinned impishly as he laughed deeply.

Toni strode up after that and Sam took the Styrofoam container from her gently with a smile, then paid at the register, following Kim back out into the night.

"Hey can I ask you something?" He asked with his hands in his pockets; take-out bag dangling from his wrist.

Kim gave him a nod and he let out the breath he was holding.  
"What really set the alarm bells off for you?"

She tilted her head to the side as if considering whether or not to answer.

The two meandered in the direction of the motel more than taking a direct course and had just reached the median before she answered.

"That stuff I told you about before?" She waved her hand back at the diner and grimaced. "He… It sounds stupid, I know, but he sent me this text…" She dug out a phone from her pocket. "We sort-of have this code, for when we're in trouble or whatever… avoiding mom, stuff like that, it's supposed to look innocuous."

She showed him her phone and he immediately recognized the lat and longitude. Glancing up at her she nodded, pointing. "It's for here, just outside of town. 'Ford-Ville' means a piece of crap town, like the truck." She rolled her eyes. "But 'Dodge' means that something happened, you know 'get out of dodge'. He was running from something. I have no idea what 'black eyes' means though."

Sam handed the phone back, tamping down the anxiety so as not to spook her. Black eyes meant something to him. He needed to tell Dean.

"Something scared him" Kim said quietly, a frown creasing her brow, "Enough to send a panic inducing message to me and no one else."

.o0o.

Sam stepped into the motel room and was met by Dean, sprawled out on a bed, papers all around and Zeppelin blaring from Sam's laptop speakers.

Letting out an annoyed huff, Sam shut the door, crossing the room to set the take-out bag down and hit the escape button, killing the music.

Dean's head popped up as he shifted onto his elbow "Dude?"

Sam's brow arched in a distant relation to the bitch-face as he pushed the bag into view.

"Dude" Dean smiled, bouncing up to attack the bag.

Sam grabbed his travel kit and ducked into the bathroom, listening to the plastic rustling.  
"Alright Sammy, you even got me pie!"

The corners of Sam's mouth lifted and he could almost fool himself that they didn't have this chasm between them for the moment.

He sat the kit down, walking back into the room as Dean set in to devour his burger, sitting on the table rather than in the chair.

"So… I ran into Kim at the diner." He lagged when Dean sent him a smirk.

He shook his head "Anyway, it looks like a legit abduction. The way she talks, he wouldn't have just bolted. Sounds a lot like you actually." Dean stared at him and he shrugged.

"Also… they have this code."

Dean's brow shot up.

"Yeah" Sam said resting his weight on one foot as he crossed his arms. "Apparently Kevin Reid is a gun toting, government conspiracy theorist. He teaches survival skills to small groups of people, and stockpiles canned goods."

Dean snorted, muttering something about toilet paper but Sam ignored him.

"He's ex-military, Dad always gone, Mom working two jobs… Dean, they basically grew up the same way we did, just without all the blood and monsters."

Dean frowned, wiping ketchup from his lips with a napkin.

"Anyway, Kevin sends his little sister, the kid he practically raised, an SOS style text just before he goes missing."

Dean could see Sam working himself up and put down his mostly gone burger.  
"So what did the message say?"

Sam sighed "The lat and lange for nowhere Stonewater, a warning to get out of dodge and 'black eyes' tagged on at the end."

"Shit" Dean stood, rubbing his bottom lip. "Why the hell would demons be snatching lone travelers?"

Sam shook his head "No clue. It's something to go on at least. Kim's not too gung-ho on sharing because she thinks we're FBI."

Dean began pacing "I don't have to tell you how weird that sound's" His eyes narrowed in on his brother's face.  
"So what, we tell her what we do? Give her the whole truth is out there speech?" He gestured with his hand and gawked at his pointed look.

"Sam, come on…"

Sam sat in one of the creaky chairs, resting his left forearm on the table top, his other on his knee.  
"It could do nothing but help at this point."

"Just a few hours ago you wanted to shoo her away!"

Sam shifted nervously, picking at the peeling corner of the surface before him. "That was before…"

Dean's sour face came into play then. "What, before your little heart to heart at the diner?"

"She can handle it Dean" Sam cut in, his gaze locking with his brother's stubbornly. Then his eyes softened to pleading "Look, I just think it would benefit all of us if we went into this with eyes open. You said so yourself, that she wouldn't give up."

"Why are you doing this Sam? Why is this so important to you now?"

Sam's jaw clenched as he stared at the ground, swallowing at the lump in his throat. Finally he forced himself to meet Dean's eye "Because I didn't do it for you."

Dean's face fell to a stoic mask as Sam pressed on.  
"I'm sorry Dean. I'm sorry I didn't look for you. I'm sorry I just gave up."

His eyes were heavy with unshed tears. "I want to help this girl find her brother and I don't want to lie anymore, about anything. I want us…" He swallowed hard, "I want us to be the way we were, before purgatory, before… before yellow eyes."

Dean saw the raw pain in his brother's eyes. His chest hurt and the words flooded his mouth but he didn't say them, he couldn't. That year of running for his life, of fighting and blood and death, no sleep or food, just kill or be killed only to crawl out into a world where his brother, the only family he had left, just walked away. The truth as he saw it was that Sam didn't care enough about him to even try and find him and now he wanted to be family?

Dean's jaw pulsed with his teeth chewing those words Sam so wanted to hear. He couldn't… it was too much. He only shook his head, grabbing his keys off the dresser before leaving the room without a word.

The Impala's engine fired to life behind the closed motel room door and Sam blinked, tears falling, chest heavy as he stared at the untouched pie across from him.

.o0o.

Somewhere around three a.m. Dean finally stumbled back in to the oppressive silence of the motel room.  
He stared long at the back of his sleeping brother, then sighed, rubbing his face. He barely had mind enough to toe off his boots before collapsing onto the bed, scattering papers everywhere.

Once his snores permeated the quiet Sam finally closed his eyes and drifted off.

* * *

A/N: Yet again a longer chapter. The boy's really seem to be white knuckling it around this season don't you think? I have no idea why I picked it to write my story in but I hope it is being received well. I see shadows of season one and two in this story so I hope the characterizations are keeping true.  
'Til next time.


	5. Chapter 5

Nothing Else Matters

Chapter Five: Truth and Consequences

* * *

.o0o.

Morning for the Winchesters could only be described as a civil peace.

No words were uttered between the two as Sam, back from a run and freshly showered, clacked away on his laptop, compiling all the information they had collected so far while Dean sat on the edge of his bed, cleaning the stockpile of guns he'd brought in the night before.

The elder brother kept his relaxed bravado while the younger sat stiffly, a vein protruding along his tense neck muscles.

A firm knock rattled their door snapping Sam to attention. Dean slid a clip into his Colt pistol with ease as he stood and crossed the floor.

The knock sounded again and a familiar voice called "Hey guys, the government paying you to sleep in?"

Dean paused; blinked, then snorted, tucking away his piece as Sam sank back into his chair with a sigh.

The door opened to reveal a white paper bag baring a familiar logo, dangling before Dean's nose.

"I brought libation too" Kim grinned as the bag was snatched away.

He left the door open for her as he sank back onto the bed, already digging for a disc of doughy goodness.

She walked in, shutting the door behind her and sat the coffee carrier down beside Sam, her eyes sweeping over the mess that was …everywhere.

"Tornado cut through here last night?"

"More like a tropical storm" Dean intoned sarcastically, giving her a saccharine smile.

"Well, good morning to you too sunshine" she huffed with hands on her hips.

Dean's eyes narrowed in her direction.  
She was dressed similarly to yesterday, jeans, boots and a deep green half-sleeved V-neck. Not bad he supposed, but she was still a pain in the ass. "Sam, your bosom buddy is annoying."

Sam was doing his best to hold back the growing mirth but it couldn't be contained and burst forth with the woman's next words.

"I can take me and my annoying doughnuts elsewhere if you like" Kim scathed through pursed lips.

Dean shot a glare at his brothers shaking shoulders and pulled the bag closer to his chest, taking a big bite of the powdered ring in his hand.

Kim smirked, turning to Sam with arched brows. "Not much I can say about mess anyway. Mine is all over the walls of my room."

Sam took the proffered coffee and offered her the second chair. "Thanks for that" he said motioning towards Dean with his cup.

"No problem" she waved her hand. "I was buying them anyway. So, what are we doing today?"

She hedged to the question, expecting to be shot down by the look on her face. Sam shared a look with Dean over her head and at the brief nod, cleared his throat. "We ah, thought we'd ask you actually."

"Me?" Her surprise was evident.

The rustle of the bag being set aside drew her attention. "You've got good instincts" Dean volunteered in an off handed way as he reached for the other paper cup in the holder, removing the lid altogether.

Kim looked at Sam and he tilted his head. "You have been here longer and we could compile our research, make some real progress."

Her mouth worked for a moment then snapped shut when she realized she was doing it.  
"Awesome."

Dean's head popped up, meeting Sam's gaze with a familiar 'what the hell' look he could only shrug at mouthing 'I told you so'.

Ten minutes later they all headed over to her room to peruse the cork board of info she had pinned together.

Sam snorted at her room's décor as soon as he walked in. It was done in similar colors to theirs but the theme was angled more to the feminine persuasion as most of the fabrics were done is a dusk rose and the prints above the bed were of Guinevere and Morgan Le Fey.

Kim agreed with his look of revulsion, commenting that it looked like a ten year old girl had decorated the place.

She waved them towards her wall of amassed documents, which looked an awful lot like a hunter's grid.

Maps were tacked up, a line of blue string marking her brother's route. Beside it was his log information she'd somehow gotten from the company, detailing his stops and weigh in's. An additional map of the town was tapped to the wall; red x's marking the areas she'd already checked.

"I still think there is something down at the quarry" she ground out in frustration as the guys went over her stuff with a sharp eye.

"They could have hidden the rig anywhere in town that has a big enough garage, but there aren't that many and I haven't been allowed entry. The Sheriff's already run me off so many times that he said he'd arrest me if he saw my face again."

Dean, standing off to the side with his arms folded, made a face that clearly showed his opinion of the Sheriff.

The guys were dressed simply she noted, looking nothing like the agents she expected. Sam wore a blue and green plaid button up with jeans, and Dean wore a deep olive colored T-shirt and worn jeans with frayed hems and boots. They looked more like the boys back home than Fed's.

Sam was leaning over the dresser, bracing himself with his hands so he could follow the thread marking her brother's trail making notes with a pen, when Dean's head cocked to the side.

He turned to Kim and snorted. "You're really short."

"Great observational skills there Fall guy, don't hurt yourself."  
Kim rolled her eyes, ignoring the concerned glance leveled at them from across the room.

Dean looked as if he were gearing up to retaliate when Sam cleared his throat loudly, eyes widening at the older man.

"What?" Dean snarled childishly.

Kim crossed to the dresser and flipped open her spiral notebook to the last page of notes, muttering "Not all of us are born with gorilla DNA" which Sam overheard.

He lowered his head to hide his smile, but knew his brother saw when he heard Dean's huff of annoyance behind them.

It was a tentative cease-fire as they got to work matching their findings and pinning up the new. They were looking for a pattern to the missing travelers as well as trying to find her brother's location.

Dean's voice was sharp in the quiet of the room when he called out "Hold on" jabbing a finger to a point on her map. "What's this?"

Kim sighed, fingers picking at her jean clad leg as she stared at the carpet, the tip of her tongue darting out to wet her lips. "That's the smaller quarry."

"What?" Sam snapped hard eyes on her as he straightened to his full height beside his brother.

Kim glanced up at the two men. "I wasn't hiding it" she huffed, rolling her eyes in the face of their glares.

Sam looked at Dean pointedly, his jaw jutting out.

She ignored their silent conversation.  
"That parcel of land didn't revert back to the county like the rest." She said circling the area with her fingertip. "It's privately owned, but I couldn't get the records. I tried to go out there a few days ago, but it's locked up tight. Chain-link fences topped with razor wire and a pack of Dobermans behind that."

She met their eyes, folding her arms with a shrug.  
"I was looking for a way in yesterday when you guys showed up."

Dean let out a snort, turning to his brother with a grin pulling the side of his mouth.  
"Damn, you were right Sammy; she's basically me with boobs."

Sam chuckled. "I'm telling ya man, one of you is enough."

Kim narrowed her eyes at them as they smiled smugly. Pieces fell into place and she felt her chest tighten. "Son of a… are you guys even FBI?" She questioned, stepping back until her calves hit the mattress behind her.

Sam stepped in, his hands held up. "Look, give me a chance to explain…"

He proceeded to give her the low-down on what they were up against and who they were.  
Dean called it launching damage control but Sam gave her their whole history with his brother's colorful banter sprinkled in here and there. She took it a lot better than most people tended to. At least she wasn't reaching for the phone to call the real FBI.

'Nothing like a good shaking of your foundations to get a girl's heart racing' she thought bitterly.

"So you're saying you think a demon took my brother, and they have been doing this for over sixty years with none the wiser?" She said as she sat slouched on the bed. Sam was in front of her on the other with a concerned expression arching his brows.

Kim looked panicked by the thought and he tried to reassure her, but she wasn't hearing it.

Then Dean spoke from his place by the maps, leaning on the dresser with his arms and ankles crossed.  
"I think Kim had the right idea."

Her eyes focused on the man and he gestured to the map. "The quarry is our best bet. Fences and guard dogs practically shout secret compound."

Sam nodded and Kim frowned. "You think the Sheriff is running things?"

Dean shook his head. "He's more of a hired hand, something old and smart has been holed up here for a long time. It's gonna be a real bitch."

.o0o.

Dean stood at the crest of a man made cliff overlooking a small portion of the gated quarry that wasn't hidden by brush and trees, watching for any sign of life in the vicinity.

His eyes darted down to the girl laying on her belly at the very edge and he tipped his head to the side in amusement.

Kim was taking shots of the terrain through a telescopic lens while Sam did recon down at the site.  
The rapid shutter of the camera, insects and bird song were the prevalent sounds that reached his ears as the pines behind him shielded his silhouette from any eyes that might be watching from below.

He leaned back on the swaying trunk, leisurely scanning the area. Even with the gravity of the situation he felt kind-of peaceful right then. 'Nothing like getting back to the basics' he thought with a sigh.

"Can't believe a bunch of demonic pimps are working in bumfuck Tennessee" Kim muttered to herself, adjusting the zoom.

Dean fought down a chuckle, rubbing his lip as he crouched down by her feet, his right forearm resting on his knee. "Where are you and your brother from anyway?" He picked a blade of grass, sliding it between his fingers.

Kim snapped another round of shots and smirked back at him over her shoulder "A small town just south of here."

Dean chuckled as she turned back to the lens, "We aren't as backwoods psycho as this place though."

"No demonic pimps then?"

She snorted a laugh "Thankfully."

Dean's smile was back, crinkling his eyes. "Let me guess, it's all country music, deer's and beers?"

Kim sat up, brushing leaves from her shirt, holding up the camera. "Well… not for this girl, my childhood friend catches giant catfish by shoving her fist down their gullet while wearing a bikini and Dolce &amp; Gabbana sunglasses though, if that's your thing?"

She gave him a sly smile when his brow arched.

Shaking her head she looped the camera strap over her neck once more. "I've never hunted deer, but I have helped skin a few. I don't like country music much, give me AC/DC or Bad Company any day."

Dean gave her a speculative once over. "That car of yours, how'd you come by that?"  
His eyes swept the area, aware of his brother's movements even as he pulled the blade of grass apart with his fingernails, tossing it to the breeze.

Kim sighed looking out over the compound. "She's a beauty" she smiled. "Kevin found her sitting in this old barn that belonged to one of his buddies from boot camp."

Shaking her head she turned to look at Dean. "Imagine, a nineteen seventy Hemi 'Cuda just sitting there collecting dust while her insides rotted away like a common junker."

"Sacrilege" Dean said immediately and dead serious.

"Exactly, I figured you'd understand. That sixty seven of yours is mint."

His pride was evident as he smiled.

"Any way, he knew I'd want her so he talked to the guys Uncle and we closed the deal. Sixty nine date-coded, mostly original, even had the factory exhaust manifolds intact. She's a bit rusty but that's just elbow grease and we had to replace the wiring."

Dean shook his head. "Nah, she might not look perfect but she'll tear up the asphalt like a beast, what's she got a three speed, 426?"

Kim nodded "Yeah with the 727 Torque Flite. We dropped around fifteen grand into her so now I'm on a dollar menu diet, but it was worth it."

"Yeah" Dean said with a bit of awe in his voice, it was a car to appreciate.  
He stood, dusting off his hands as he heard his brother's lumbering steps. Sure enough a moment later Sam came up the slope scowling.

"I found a possible entry point" he huffed, catching his breath. "The only issue is the dogs" he said picking burrs out of his hair with a wrinkled nose.

Kim stood on her tip-toes to pluck a burr from the back of his head and toss it away.  
"I've been thinking about that, what if we drugged them?"

Sam's expression went from thankful to scandalize in a split second. "What?"

Kim shot him a flat stare "Not like that Sam. If we drugged some meat with dog tranquilizers and waited for them to pass out, it would give us a pretty good chance of making it."

Dean just stared at the girl until Sam nudged him with an elbow, hard.

"Would it be safe?" Sam asked shooting his brother an exasperated look.

Kim pressed her lips together in a thin line. "It should be as long as we're careful. I can give my friend back home a call and see. She's a vet so if we get the dose for a healthy Pincer it should work just fine."

Sam nodded "Sounds like a plan" he said, looking to his brother.  
Finding the man still staring he huffed.  
Snapping his fingers in front of Dean's face finally made him blink.  
"What are you?"

Kim gave him a look that clearly said she thought he had a few screws loose before turning and heading back towards the Impala.

Sam turned to his brother "Dude?"

Dean shook his head, gesturing for him to go ahead and followed him out.  
He was getting too old for this shit.

.o0o.

They had to duck a police cruiser on the way back into town so the locals wouldn't get wind that they were onto them, and then they were back at the motel stocking up on the essentials for demon hunting.

Kim called her friend in the car and got a prescription forwarded to a vet clinic the next town over and took off in her car as soon as they pulled into the lot at the motel to go pick it up.  
Sam headed to the market for some fresh beef while Dean stayed behind to pack the duffels.

Thirty minutes later he and Sam were grabbing a quick bite while watching Fast and Furious on TV, arguing over which was the better car.

It was late afternoon when Kim finally made it back, staying on the phone with them the moment she hit the city limits. None of them trusted the Sheriff not to pick her up for even the slightest infraction just to get her out of the way.

She and Sam injected the meat he'd bought and packed it in sealed containers, tucking them away in the cooler that sat in the back driver's side floorboard of the Impala.

They planned their entrance and exit with care, but made back up plans for their back up plans, because they had the worst luck sometimes. Dean wanted to leave Kim behind and only relented when she promised to stay behind the fence and out of harm's way.

It was dangerous, but then all of their plans were like that.  
No matter how clever a strategy, anything could happen and often did.

It was a chance they had to take when saving people from the things that hunted them.

...

* * *

A/N: Another chapter done! I do hope you guys will leave me a little feedback so I can gauge how the story is going. Tell me if you think it's too fast or boring or if the girl sucks. lol Let me know!

Bye y'all!


	6. Chapter 6

Nothing Else Matters

Chapter Six: Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum

* * *

.o0o.

Dean parked the Impala a good distance away from the pit, pointed back towards town for a quick get-a-way, tossing the keys to his brother before trekking back in to overview the area.

Kim swallowed hard when Sam lifted the compartment lid on the trunk revealing all the hardware hidden underneath.  
He looked back at her pointedly as he handed over a sleek black handgun.

She took it, eyeing the make; a Beretta 92. Popping out the magazine she checked the ammo and slid it back in with a sharp click, cocking the chamber before flicking on the safety.

"Si vis pacem, para bellum" she muttered under her breath as her eyes darted up to meet the surprised yet approving gaze of Sam Winchester.

She blushed at being overheard. "The rounds… you know?" He nodded but she still felt like a tool and shied away to hide her embarrassment.

"That the only Latin you know?" He asked casually, loading up the pockets of his jacket with extra cartridges for his Taurus. He slung a shotgun over his back and packed handfuls of rounds in the duffle at his feet. Dean can back with a stern nod to them both and Sam zipped the bag, tossing it to his older brother.

Tucking away his pistol, he cocked the shotgun and looked to the man leading them into the covering darkness. Their eyes were hard, calculating and cold, but she saw that as comfort because they had the know how to get in and get the job done.

With a final affirmation they were on the move.  
Eyes quickly became accustomed to the twilight as they crept down the now familiar route along the gravel pit floor, their silent steps thankfully having no effect on the night time noises around them.

They had Kim tucked in between them, as they snaked onto the path they'd found earlier that day, making sure she was covered should they be attacked. She kept her eyes on Dean, ears straining for any odd sounds, but it was another sense that tipped her off unexpectedly.

She gagged suddenly, coming to a full stop, fighting the nausea climbing up her throat.

Growing up in a house full of smokers, Kim never knew her sense of smell was so keen until she'd moved away after graduating. A few years of clean air living had revealed her sensitive nose spectacularly when she visited her childhood home after her Mother's last marriage and nearly suffocated from the reek of stale cigarette smoke, causing her to toss her cookies in the bathroom sink.

Ever since then she'd had to be vigilant or she would react just as she was currently; lungs closed up, eyes streaming, lack of oxygen making the rolling of her stomach even harder to bear.  
Sam was at her side in a heartbeat.

"Are you okay?"  
He grabbed her upper arm to steady her stance and she closed her eyes.

Taking great gulps of citrus shampoo scented air from under the curtain of her hair she was able to banish the sickness and proceeded to close her nose, breathing through her mouth.

"I'm fine, sorry" she whispered, pushing her tresses back from a pale clammy face.

"What happened?" Dean was back beside them whisper yelling, annoyance clear on his face.

"Kim got sick" Sam said quietly. His voice held no accusation but she felt horrible for slowing them down.

"No it's… can't you smell that?" even inhaling sparingly she could almost taste the noxious stench in the air.

Sam sniffed, shaking his head as Dean looked around then pinned her with a glare. "What is it?"

Kim shook her head, bringing her sleeve up to cover her mouth and nose. "It's like my old high school science lab." She blanched, catching a whiff of rotten eggs again.

At the boys clueless looks she huffed "Like …burnt sulfur. You can't smell it?"

The brother's faces turned stony, gazes meeting over her head as they raised their guns to scan the surrounding space.

Kim followed suit with a grimace, still holding a hand over her nose.

"Can you tell which direction it's coming from?" Dean hissed, pressing against her shoulder.

She clenched her jaw. 'God I hope I don't Ralf' she thought, closing her eyes to take in shallow breaths.  
She nearly coughed as it met her nose but she managed to choke it back.

Kim stood still as possible, feeling the wind. Her face scrunched up in confusion as she pointed above their heads.

They turned their gazes up and Sam gave a scoff of displeasure.  
"They must be on the embankment we found earlier."

His eyes met with Dean's and the older man shrugged. "We'll just have to take them out first."

Sam gave a terse nod and moved out. Dean looked at Kim and smirked. "Stay Lassie."  
Kim glared "Bite me."

His eyebrow arched 'later' and he was gone.

She rolled her eyes and backed up to the base of the ridge, keeping a look out with her gun at the ready.

After ten minutes passed, with no indication of either of their presence, she deliberated how long it could take to sneak up on a sentry. Then she heard a scuffle and a sharp curse from above, as a separate voice called a quiet "timber."

The body landed right next to her with a dull thud and she barely contained her shriek of surprise.

Jumping away from the fresh corpse, hand clamped down over her own mouth, she asked herself what the fuck did she think she was doing out with a couple of psycho's at a gravel pit in the middle of the night.  
Then the thought of her brother being locked away by these… demons or whatever, raced to the forefront of her mind keeping her firmly in place and somewhat collected by the time the guys made it back down to her.

Sam and Dean came slinking through the brush with worried gazes and she glared at the both of them.

Kim reached up and smacked Dean hard on the arm.  
"For fuck's sake, give a girl a little warning next time! I nearly became a pancake."

Dean flinched away from her hands. "Hey, I called timber."

When she pinched him viciously Sam had to hold back a snigger at his brother's pained hiss. Even though Sam had been the one to blame, since he'd let the body go too soon, sending it ass over kettle to the rocks below, Dean said nothing.

Sam took point as they continued on to the spot he'd discovered before. Digging the container out of the duffle, he handed it to Kim with an intent stare.

Dean watched the exchange then tugged at her sleeve. "Be careful" he said in all seriousness and she nodded gravely. "They know we've been poking around so keep sharp."

Kim swallowed the lump building in her chest. "Watch out for each other."

Dean smirked with a confident "Always do."

With a final deep breath Kim started off down the fence line.  
She waited until she was a few yards away from the guys and picked up a sturdy stick from the bushes, clacking it down the chain link noisily. Barks rent the night as four large Dobermans came from the shadows, charging for the girl.

She ran, luring the beasts further away as Sam pulled bolt cutters out, snipping the links before him.

It was now or never.

.o0o.

The dogs raced alongside her, snarling and snapping their jaws in frenzy.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Kim panted as she stopped and crouched down, ignoring the mad racket the canines were making next to her face on the other side of the metal wire barrier. She opened the tub as they jumped and rattled, howling their displeasure.

"Here puppy, puppy" she called, thinking herself a fool. She poked a long bite of meat through the diamond patterned links being mindful of her fingers.

The Dobermans paced, circling with low growls as they sniffed her offering. She continued speaking in a calm tone, showing no fear to the beasts as they moved closer to nip the meat hesitantly, one by one.

Soon enough they lay sprawled on the grass, panting deeply as they drifted off. "Night, night fellas" Kim whispered offhandedly, wiping the blood from her fingers with a rag she'd snagged from Dean's trunk, absently tucking it into her back pocket.

She stood, moments later, staring at the spot the boy's had opened up, moving slowly towards it. Yes they wanted her to stay behind and stay safe, but it was her brother in there. Maybe it was because they told her not to, or her massive stubborn streak, but she never even paused as she ducked down though the opening.  
She only hoped they wouldn't shoot her for not listening.

.o0o.

Dean crouched down in the overgrown weeds beside a copse of trees and signaled silently.  
There were two guards patrolling the yard, keeping to the well-lit areas. Made it near impossible to take them out silently, 'Not looking too good' he thought grimacing as a search light swept the shadows.  
They definitely knew they were here.

Sam was quick and silent, moving from the old utility barn to the inner circle unseen. Dean was impressed with his brother's skills after going so long without using them.

He ignored that niggling twinge of hurt he carried under his skin and focused on the task at hand.

A new group of men came out of the office building near the loader and conferred with the other two before replacing them altogether. So that was four at least on the move and two more in the building, one up above.

Dean didn't like those odds.  
There was no telling where the snatched travelers were being kept and they had no idea what numbers were in the buildings around them. Their recon had been shoddy at best, but then there was no real way to tell just how many demons were in on this gambit.

Well, there was one, but Sammy sure wouldn't like it. He signaled again and took a breath before dashing out across the backs of the sentry detail.

He was hidden before they even felt the wind off his jacket.

.o0o.

Sam watched his brother's predatory motions, moving silently over the gravel strewn ground with a speed he didn't remember him ever having before. Purgatory had changed him, molded him into a dangerous creature that could stalk and kill with ease.

The demons never even sensed it, this thing moving just inches from their backs as he followed them along their way. As they passed his hiding place Dean shifted away and melded into the shadows around them.

Sam barely held in his awe as his brother knelt beside him.  
"We've got trouble Sammy."

Sam shook his head and questioned him.

"There are way too many factors here I'm not liking the odds." Dean said as his eyes swept the yard again.

"What do you want to do?"

Dean looked at him oddly for a moment. It was a look he thought long repressed, thrown away like the amulet he'd gifted to his brother on that Christmas so long ago.

Sam swallowed hard, shifting his eyes away.

Dean took a moment to respond and finally voiced his plan.

Sam didn't like it, but he also didn't see much other choice in the matter.

With a copious amount of trepidation, the brother's split up to put it in motion.

.o0o.

Having no clue as to which way the guy's had gone, Kim took the best possible route, hoping like hell her long hours training with her brother's group would be up to par.

Her borrowed pistol was at her side as she scanned the area, her finger resting to the side of the trigger in readiness. Keeping low, she ghosted the fence, sticking to the deep shadows.

She stepped carefully, as Kevin had drilled her a million times before on how to walk in a wooded area; it wasn't too hard to recall that bit of advice.

Two or three yards in was a small wooden shack, surrounded by additional fencing. She listened hard and then broke away from the perimeter, heading for the structure.

She caught movement from the corner of her eye and dived into a roll, coming to rest behind an old sweet gum tree, thanking the heavens it was night time and the grasses were wet with dew that muffled her movements.

Prickly discarded seed pods dug into her hands and knees as she held her breath and peeked around the wide trunk.

Two men rushed by as a bright light followed them, illuminating their path.

Kim jerked back, holding a hand over her stuttering heart.

"Goddamn Winchester's!" shouted one, piercing the darkness and quieting the noises of nature around her.

"Keep an eye out, there's still one running around out here. There's never one without the other. I have to go tell Mac about his damn dogs."

From her position she barely caught that exchange between the men rushing by. They had found the dogs and they had one of the guys already.

"I can't wait to see what Mac does to those fucking meat sacks, those mutts are his babies." One sniggered as a beam of light swept the wooded area along the fence where she had just been moments ago.

"Imagine, capturing the Winchester's here? We'll all be rolling in blood and souls after this!" Another man cackled as they drew father away.

"God" she whispered plaintively, closing her eyes against the feelings choking her. They really were demons and they had her brother.

She sobbed in a breath, rubbing her palms on her jeans.  
'No, button it up Kim. You have to find them; you have to get Kevin back. Don't flake out now and run like a baby, don't be a little bitch.' She thought, screaming at herself not to give in to her fear.

She peered around the tree and sighed. The smell had faded, thank goodness and she could breathe deeply to calm herself. She had no real way of fighting a demon. Sam and Dean had given her a crash course in the lore but it did her no good. She was a sitting duck.

She had to play this carefully, and smart.

Kim inched along, toe to heel, towards the shed, quietly. The search light was sweeping the far side of the pit, away from her position and she kept alert for any sound of footsteps. Finally she was flush with the small building, the wooden slats pressing along her spine.

She crept along the wall not noticing the rag from earlier snagging on the rough boards behind her. She could hear snuffles and yips from the interior of the building and figured it was a make-shift kennel for the dogs. She'd have to move soon.

Kim peaked around the edge, looking for an obvious place to keep a truck.

The small quarry was surrounded by structures that looked to be equipment shed's, a large garage and a loading station with an attached office.

The lights were on behind the fogged windows but she could barely make out any movement within.

"There's no telling how many are here" She groaned quietly.

A low growl sounded from the other side of the wall and her head swung around, eyes falling on the red cloth hanging from a splintered board.

"Shit" she hit her thigh in frustration. The dogs had pups so they must have dams and she'd just alerted them to her presence.

She had no choice but to run.

Waiting just long enough to sight the direction the spot light was pointing; Kim sprinted across the open area right as the mama dog launched into a round of furious baying that was sure to draw attention.

Nearly overshooting her mark, Kim caught the edge of the building with her shoulder. It slowed her down, but hurt like a bitch.

Rubbing her arm, she slowed her breathing to listen. There was a disgruntled shout for the dog to "shut the hell up" then a yip as the cage was struck. She could only pray the rag wasn't found.

Chest heaving she pressed the cool metal of the gun flat against her forehead.

"Shit" hissed out again as she squeezed her eyes shut, sliding down into a crouch with the edifice wall at her back. She'd never been so scared.

It took a minute or two to pull it together and then she stood, creeping along the metal siding until she reached a small window. Standing on tip toes she peered in and felt her heart clench. Not ten feet away, gleaming under the dim glow of the sparse lighting, sat her brother's cherry red rig.

Kim forced down the sob that rose up to choke her, flattening herself to the wall once more. Tears burned beneath her lashes as she struggled with her emotions. He was here for sure; she had infallible proof before her very eyes.

Everything the guy's had told her swamped her head and she whimpered. She was being stupid, she had to find him, them, but it was too much. Demons, possession, how could she possibly deal with that? How could anybody?

"Whatever, so they're real, so what?" She was losing it, but she reached into her pocket and pulled out the sketch she'd taken from that journal Sam had let her see back at the hotel and she caught her breath. Slowing it purposefully as Kevin had taught her, she felt her body grow cold and steady. She could do this she just needed a little time.

Calculating she added up the numbers. There were three demons for sure outside, four counting whoever was operating the search light. More were inside the office but she knew the Sheriff was still in town so that was a plus.

One of the Winchester's was out here with her, hiding in the darkness so she had an advantage. They didn't know about her.

Dean had said salt would deter them for, like half-a-second, holy water burned… up on the embankment he'd said something about a knife but she didn't have anything like that. All she had… she looked down at the paper in her hand and grinned. It was better than nothing.

The spot light passed by, illuminating the darkness around her, but she was thankfully hidden in the shadow of the building. As it ran along the ground, Kim followed, keeping her eyes peeled for any movement. She scurried along the back of the buildings, playing a dangerous game of hide-n-seek until she made it to the loading station.

Far above, on the service scaffold, was the ass with the search light. Ignoring him for the time being she assessed the area.

High crank windows lined the back of the office warehouse, allowing little sound to reach her ears from the ground. She spied some discarded pallets and dragged them over to stack upon one another before shakily stepping up.

The boost didn't help her to see inside but she could now hear the violent sound of flesh on flesh contact.

Wincing, Kim listened as best she could to try and get a handle on how many demons were inside.

"What the fuck did you do to my dogs?" another heavy blow landed.

Sardonic laughter drifted down and she groaned silently.  
"I'd be more worried about what my brother's gonna do to you Paco."

"I'm going to strip your flesh into steaks!"

"Get in line pal" was Dean's response and Kim couldn't contain her scoff at his audacity in the face of such circumstances.

"Carlos, that's enough, this rotting piece of meat will get what's coming to him, but he is marked for our King."

Kim felt her brain stall with this new voice, it was painfully familiar.

Then a hand clamped down around her mouth and she was pulled back into a warm solid body.

* * *

A/N: Sorry I left it on a cliffy but hey, life is full of unfinished conclusions.  
Title meaning: Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum "If you want peace, prepare for war"  
Also a little fun fact: The Beretta 92 series takes the 9 x 19 millimeter Parabellum cartridge, derived from the Latin title which is the motto of the weapons manufacturer that introduced the cartridge.

Til next time!


	7. Chapter 7

Nothing Else Matters

Chapter Seven: Nothing Else Matters

* * *

.o0o.

A hand clamped around her mouth as another snaked around her waist and she was pulled back into a solid warm body.

"It's me"

All the tension melted from her with that whisper and she nodded.  
She was released and, turning, she breathed out a relieved "Sam."

His finger rose to brush his lips and Kim followed his silent directive to head back the way she came.

As soon as they were back behind the garage and he knew they wouldn't be discovered he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"What happened?" was whispered as she pulled away.

He ran his hands over his hair, pushing it back.  
"It was Dean's idea" he sighed. "This is a pretty big operation for a small town hustle, but we couldn't be sure how many were in that office building so he decided to get himself captured and let me know somehow, but things went sideways on us."

Kim nodded swallowing her fear at his shaken visage. "I counted eight so far, but I couldn't see inside."  
She grimaced at the look on his face and continued on, almost rambling. "Two came out for the dogs, two more at the office door on guard, one at the dog pens and one up top. I could only make out two separate voices inside though."

"Damn" he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. "They are looking for me." He shook his head, focusing his gaze on her. "Right" he huffed "I need your help."

Kim smiled "I've got just the thing."

.o0o.

Dean knew the plan had gone south the moment he'd let those two goons take him to their boss.

They had known who he was, he expected that, but the problem was they had known before they'd taken him. The head bitch was waiting for him to show, said she knew he'd turn up sooner or later.

He cursed pulling at the ropes that bound him to the metal framed chair, watching the group of black eyed sons-a-bitches who were calmly discussing the best way to pop out his pretty green eyes without damaging them too much.

Blood dripped down into one of them, stinging it. He hardly felt it though, his attention was otherwise engaged.

Suddenly a low rumble cut through the night, drawing the demons conversation to an abrupt halt.  
Dean's eyes narrowed, he knew that sound.

"What the hell is that?"  
Carlos Macgregor had been a hardware salesman in the town of Stonewater for fourteen years but he hadn't been Carlos really for about twelve now.  
Now he was a demonic dog breeder with an unhealthy obsession for bloodthirsty pooches.

The demon was shouting at a few of the lesser underlings when the ground started to shake.

Dean let his hidden blade drop down into his palm and he began sawing at the thick cords around his wrists.

Screams from outside caused chaos in the building as the guardsmen raced for the door, yelling into static filled walkie-talkies.

A moment later the whole side of the building imploded with a metallic screech and sparks.  
The grill of a big rig truck came to rest inches from the bitch calling the shots, painted with a massive devils trap on the gleaming chrome.

Dean nearly dropped his knife as the driver's side door swung open; baring its own devils trap as well as a demon stuck to the side.  
He laughed incredulously at the sight.

Then out popped a pissed shorty and his breath caught. Where the hell was Sam?

"Toni" Kim snarled as she threw a punch, catching the woman's jaw.

Her head snapped to the side and when the brassy red head turned back her eyes were black as ink.  
The pseudo waitress wiped the blood from her lip and licked it. "I gotta say, this is surprising" She said anger radiating from every pore. "I knew something was off when I saw you rubbing elbows with that tall drink of failure last night, but I didn't figure you to be so stupid." The demon grabbed the girl by the throat.

Dean sawed that much faster, cursing the girl and the demon all the while.

"What the fuck do you think you can do here Kimmy?" The bitch sneered.

Kim grasped at the fingers uselessly but a smile spread on her face. "I can distract you dumb mother fuckers long enough for the guys that can kick your ass to make their move. And don't call me Kimmy you black eyed bitch."

Toni snarled as Kim flung out her hand, the holy water cutting across the demons face in a sizzling trail. The demon dropped her and that's when Dean's bonds snapped free.

He lunged, catching the demonic woman off guard. His arms wrapped around her neck, forcing her head back as he shoved a handful of salt down her throat.

"Enjoy the trip back down bitch."

They came from around the wreckage, demons rushing in, grabbing at Kim as she struggled to get back up into the cab of the truck, circling Dean with malevolent glee.

Their mirth was short lived.

The next moment the sprinkler system engaged and the room filled with screams.

Dean flung the demon he held into his vacated chair, pinning her down as she smoked, screeching horribly.

Then the Latin of the exorcism was echoing into the warehouse through the bull horn on the top of the semi. Dean looked up and spied Kim sitting in the cab with the CB up to her mouth as she read from a piece of paper in her hands. The demons couldn't get to her with the devil's traps painted onto the sides of the truck.

Dean had to admit it was a damn good idea.

Black smoke began pouring from the possessed in droves as Sam rushed in, eyes wide. "Did it work?"

He held the demon blade, glinting red and silver in the light as the demonic smoke sank into the earth, the smell of brimstone thick in the air.

Dean smirked "Yeah Sammy, I think it worked perfectly." He let go of the now unconscious Toni and she slid to the ground, boneless.

Dean wiped the water from his face and met his brother's gaze with a grin. "That was awesome!"

Kim hopped down from the cab and met the guys in the middle of the room.  
"So whose idea was that?" Dean asked, arching a brow.

Kim looked at Sam and they grinned.

Sam had been left to sneak up on the spot light operator as Kim, reading from her scribbled notes she'd taken from their Dad's journal, painted the devil's traps on her brother's rig. Then she started the monster with her set of keys and floored it. As Sam took out the demon up top she slammed through the guards outside.

Then Sam sanctified the water in the tanks over the warehouse and engaged the sprinkler system.

"That was a hell of a chance to take." Dean said eyes dark, hands on hips.

"Bout as crazy as giving your-self to demons just to find out how many were in here" Kim shot back.

Sam coughed to hide his amusement as Dean rolled his eyes.  
"Don't give me that crap, you're a civilian, you could have gotten killed… or worse."

"Well maybe next time we should just leave you to get slapped around by short, fat and hairy over there."

They stood toe-to-toe glaring at each other. She got it, she did, but there hadn't been another choice here and he knew it, but then he decided to act like a cave man about it.

Sam cleared his throat. "Guy's… maybe we can do this later?"

Kim turned away after a parting glare and gazed upon the ruined finish of the rig.

"Kevin's gonna be so pissed."

Her muttered statement drew the hunter's attention.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, it's not that bad. A little buffing and some paint…"

Kim turned her nose up at him. "Bet you wouldn't say that if it was the Impala."

At Dean's horrified expression, Sam couldn't help but laugh.

.o0o.

They scoured the office for any trace of information on the missing travelers but nothing turned up.

Kim grew increasingly frustrated, Dean was combing through files with steely eyes and tense shoulders but it was Sam that finally found something.

"Hey, look at this" he called from across the room.

They were beside him in a flash as he spread out an old wrinkled blueprint on the desk.

It was details for the garage across the way.

"According to this, there's some kind of underground shelter built beneath it." Sam said running his finger over the specs.

Kim pointed "A hidden stair well?"

She met the brother's eyes. "Alright, we need to get these people out." Dean said straightening as he slung the discarded duffle on his shoulder.

Sam rolled up the plans and they headed for the garage.  
"So what, you think this is some kind of… demonic insurance policy?"

Dean cut him a look. "That's my bet, they take the vagrants that won't be missed and use them to repopulate their ranks."

Kim's breath caught. "You don't think…"

"No" Dean said pointedly.  
"The demons were sent back to hell, it will take them a while to climb back up."

She peered at him for a moment as he walked his eyes steady on the nearing building.  
Taking his word as undeniable truth she nodded and followed Sam in through the busted doors.

Dean whistled low "Might want to think about demolition derbies as a career path."

Kim just grinned as Sam unrolled the prints.

"I think it's along this wall" he said pointing. Kim walked over, running her hands along the base boards as the guys did the same on the far side.

"Here" Sam and Dean pried the metal shelving away to reveal a hidden panel. Kim took a flashlight from Dean and followed Sam down into the dark.

Fetid air rushed up to meet them and Kim had to turn and burry her face in her hands to keep from being sick. Dean handed her a rag that smelled like gun oil and she nodded her thanks. It was better than the smell of human waste and death coming from the bottom of that stairwell.

As they descended the light caught on a row of rebar and Sam followed it to illuminate cages lining the wall. Frightened whimpers came from one and Sam rushed over to it, peering in.

"Oh God" wrenched from him as he rattled the lock. "Dean!"

Dean pushed passed Kim and crouched down beside him, eyes wide in horror.

The missing travelers were locked inside cages small enough for the Dobermans outside, left to rot in their own filth and grime.

Dean made quick work of pushing down his revulsion, grabbing his lock picks from his pocket as Sam spoke comfortingly to the people trapped inside.

Kim kept her gun out, pointed to the ground as she held the rag to her face and tried not to cry.  
Then she shakily held her breath and called out into the darkness. "Kevin?"

A shuffle sounded from far down the line "…Kim? God, Kim is that you?" He sounded hoarse, like he was holding back and she sobbed running down to fall to her knees in front of the metal bars. Her light was feeble but it was him. Her eyes drank in the bloodied face of her brother.

"Kevin… Jesus what have they done to you?"

His dirt encrusted fingers poked out between the slats to link with hers as tears rolled down her face.

"What are you doing here? Go before they come back."  
He sounded rough, like he'd swallowed sandpaper and she dashed away the wetness on her face, shaking her head.

"They won't be coming back." She said surprising herself with how cold she sounded. A hand gripped her shoulder and she turned to meet Sam's eyes.

She nodded and moved out of the way, letting Sam at the lock.

Her eyes moved over to Dean and widened. She raised the gun before she realized and fired.

A man wearing a deputy's uniform staggered on the stairs, dropping his gun before plummeting down the metal rungs end over end.

"Oh my God" she gasped, realizing what she'd done. He was no demon; she'd just killed a man.

Dean rushed over, taking the gun from her trembling fingers.  
"You didn't have a choice Kim he was going to kill me." His voice was low and it sank in but she couldn't stem the tremors that racked her body.

"That's not going to count with the law boy" a condescending voice called from above. The clack of a hammer being drawn back stilled them all and Sam rose with his hands in the air.

"Sheriff" Dean said steadily.

"Put that down nice and slow pretty boy." The bulky man said, motioning with his gun. "Got to keep the evidence neat and preserved for when the real Feds get here."

He came down the stairs, stepping over the deputy without a glance. Keeping his gun trained on the boy's the man smiled nastily. "Come on over here girly."

Dean tensed at her side but she held out a staying hand, she didn't want him getting shot just yet.

Kim walked slowly over to the man and held in her startled screech when he grabbed her arm roughly, spinning her around to face the others.

He chuckled lecherously in her ear.  
"You sure are a pain in the ass girly, should've taken care of you a long time ago."

"Demons and local law enforcement, what an arrangement" Sam's sneering voice cut across the dark space between them, drawing the Sheriff's attention away from her.

Kim shivered at the coldness in his voice. It was a marked difference to his normal tone and she was glad it wasn't directed at her.

"Yeah, nothing like signing your soul over to eternal hellfire" Dean said spitefully.

The Sheriff's hand snaked around Kim's neck, pulling her back against him. She felt him sniff her hair and watched both the guy's tense up, Sam moving to stand beside his brother.

The Sheriff drew a bead on Dean and they froze once again.

"Comes with damn fine perks" Barns said stroking her clavicle.  
Kim's revulsion had to be clear on her face, she hated people touching her.

"You're going to be roasting on a spit like the pig you are Barns." She hissed through her clenched teeth, ignoring the twin looks of tense surprise from the hunter's in front of them.

Barns responded by gripping her hair and giving it a painful tug.

"I'd shut my mouth if I was you missy, wouldn't want my finger to slip and off one of yer little boyfriends would you?"

The man chuckled, his tobacco scented breath wafting across her face, making her own hitch.

"Is that the way your mama raised you?"

Suddenly the gun was digging into her ribs and she gasped in pain.

"Damn it, Kim!" Her brother's voice echoed and Sam shifted to stand in front of the cage as Barns' gaze flicked over him.

"Found yer brother did ya?" His lips brushed her face and she clenched her eyes shut for a moment.  
"Talk about my mama again and we'll see how long it takes a man to die from a gut shot."

His grip tightened around her throat once again but she refused to make a sound.

"Now this is a predicament. I think you two fellas got bad luck" he said pointing again with his gun.  
"Fake FBI comes in to town, shoots the girl that killed my deputy, then set fire to a bunch of poor bums in cages" Kim staggered and he jerked her back again. "On top of that, y'all are supposed to be dead and cremated after causing all kinds of trouble about a year back. Who'd blame me for killin' the two of you?"

Dean let his eyes rest on his brother's and Sam shook his head.

He had this look on his face that didn't sit well with Kim at all. It scared her.  
She turned suddenly, the grip on her neck loosened, the Sheriff looking surprised as hell that his captive was now facing him with a glare.

"What the hell you doing girl?"

"Did your mama teach you to lie Harrison? She teach you to make bargains with the Devil?"  
She took a step closer, feeling empowered when the man backed away, even though his gun was pointed right at her chest.

"Did she teach you to turn your back on the Lord Harrison or did your Daddy beat all the religion out of her?"

His face paled, his hand shaking. "I told you not to talk like that about her."

.o0o.

Dean's whole frame was tense.

He had one chance at this, a chance that hinged solely on this crazy girl before them. A spike of admiration rushed him as he watched her face down imminent death and made it back away.

He'd be so pissed if Barns shot her.

.o0o.

Sam watched as Dean slowly brought up his gun, keeping it in the shadows so the gleam of metal wouldn't give him away.

His stomach clenched queasy with worry. He saw the change come over his brother, as Dean forced everything down, becoming the high caliber, stone cold hunter he'd honed himself into during his year long absence.

Kim had backed the Sheriff as far as he was going to go before snapping and in that second everything fell into place.

"Down!"

The shot echoed in his ears as he looked up to see Barns fall beside a prone Kim.

Sam felt his chest burn and he took a breath, not realizing he'd been holding it from the moment Dean made his move.

.o0o.

Kim registered the shouted growl in a split second, had been waiting for it actually, since she spotted Dean's gun in his hand and that look in his eyes.

She folded, letting her legs crumple beneath her as the shot reverberated.

Her ears were still ringing from the report as Barns' body tumbled back, a bloody circle burnt through his skull.

"Kim!"

Metal rattled and clanked, suddenly she was being man handled into a familiar embrace.

"I'm fine Bubba" she gasped as he nearly crushed her. Her brother was okay, he was alive.

He exhaled out harshly before he held her at arm's length, meeting her glassy gaze with his own.  
"That was really close Sissy."

Kim laughed at the old endearment and hugged him back, twice as hard.

.o0o.

Dean and Sam got the rest of the caged victims out quickly, the newest of which was that old trucker they'd seen at the diner a few days ago. One of the many stolen SUV's was then hotwired and the man promised to see the others to the nearest hospital before calling in the State Troopers.

Sam had driven in the Impala to collect Kevin since his leg was busted. He was crouched down, splinting the broken bones when Dean wandered over with a scowl.

The sun had risen while they'd been taking care of things, burning away the mist that clung heavily to the grass.  
It had taken a good chunk of time to administer field care to the others before sending them on their way with Earl. Black smoke billowed up from the burning garage behind them, a little cleanup work to mask the presence of the two supposedly dead men that now stood watching the flames with grim faces.

"Damn mess" Dean muttered, watching the dissipating dust cloud from the leaving vehicle.

"Yeah" Sam replied as he peered over at the siblings by the car.

Kim crouched in front of her brother, handing him a bottle of water, careful to not jar his splint leg that hung out of the open back door of the Impala. Kevin didn't look much like his sister but he could see the family resemblance now that they were in the light of day. His hair was darker, legs longer, but they shared the same mouth and nose. He was a pretty decent looking guy, a little roughed up and shadowed by weeks of growth and grime but his hazel eyes glinted in relieved humor at his sisters half-hearted scolding that told he would be just fine, given time.

Sam and Dean shared a long look that spoke volumes and headed over to the two.

Kevin looked up and held out a hand, Dean taking it in a firm grip. "Thanks for keeping her alive."

Dean nodded, the two men watching as Sam pulled an annoyed Kim around to the rear of the Impala.

"She did good…" Dean commented with narrowed eyes.  
"She lit a fire under this town to try and find you, you're a lucky guy."

Kevin smiled "I'm proud to call her family."

They shared a companionable silence as they observed the show their younger siblings put on, all fuss and no bite. Sam had Kim sitting on the lip of the open trunk, scolding her as he dabbed ointment along the cut on her cheek.

"My truck's gonna be a bitch to pull out." Kevin muttered suddenly, causing Dean to grin.

"I still can't believe she did that man, you should've seen her when she busted in." He chuckled.

Kevin gave a snort, shaking his head. "She's always been a bit rash, but I really can't say anything. I'm more surprised our Mom isn't totally nuts by now."

Kim's head appeared around the gleaming black metal. Carefully placed butterfly bandages now graced her wound as she hopped down and wandered over to them while Sam packed up the first aid kit.

"You alright" She asked tiredly, eyes filled with concern. Dean only then noticed the man's grimace of pain.  
Dude would probably be on crutches for a while.

Kevin just gave her a look and she turned to the man beside them.

"We've pretty much got rid of everything that would incriminate us, all you have to do is give your statements, hopefully abridged, to the State police."  
Dean shook his head with a snicker of laughter.  
"Man they sure are going to have a field day with this one."

Kevin made a noise of agreement "I bet."

Kim rolled her eyes at them both muttering "you are so weird" with fondness.

Sam sidled up beside them, Dean looking taken aback by her words.

"She's got you pegged man." He laughed as his big brother swung a hand back carelessly, popping him in the stomach.

"Shut up" Dean said sourly as the two younger people shared a grin. He moved to the driver's side door, flipping out his keys.  
"Come on, the fire department should be here soon."

They managed to slide Kevin in along the vinyl to settle in the back seat with his leg extended and Kim road up front, sandwiched between the two Winchester's. Not as comfortable as it sounds, turns out.

Once Dean fired up the engine a low whistle cut through the rumble.  
"Man, you can have my sister if you let me drive this baby sometime."

Kim glared over her shoulder at her brother. "Ass" was hissed between clenched teeth as the guys snickered in stereo around her.

"Nah dude, nobody touches Baby but me." Dean said running a hand over the dash reverently.  
Kim pursed her lips, crossing her arms with a nod and Sam gawped at them like they were both nuts.

After they got out on the highway they passed two small fire engines from the local volunteer department. As the sirens faded behind them Sam looked back at the man gripping his jean clad leg with white knuckled determination, keeping still as possible.

"So Kevin man, how did they grab you anyway? Kim tells us you're pretty resourceful." He asked trying to distract the guy from the pain.

Kevin looked up, meeting his sisters green eyes in the rearview.

"It was the Sheriff and that Deputy guy." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.  
"They pulled me over on a detoured two lane just outside of town and demanded to see my cargo. I told them what it was, showed them my papers and everything but they wouldn't hear it, now I know why." Kevin ran a hand over his face and shifted his trucker cap. "Anyway, I opened the trailer and that fat bastard zapped me with a TASER to the back. Then Deputy Dan hit me with the Billy club and when I woke up I was in the cage."  
His voice grew strained near the end.

He couldn't see the black look on his sister's face but the guy's could and it caused them to share a knowing look.

"How'd you break the leg?" Her voice was low and steady, but her nails were digging into her palms hard.

"Ah, they tried to …persuade me that it was better to swallow the black smoke and I disagreed, strongly."

Dean's jaw pulsed as he clenched his teeth and only Sam heard the muttered "Damn it" from the girl beside him.

He reached over and took her hand, making her flatten it out so she didn't cause the nails to draw blood.  
When she blinked up at him, he looked back to the man lying there, only a few feet away, and she let the tension leave her.

He's fine now, it's over Sam was telling her and she closed her eyes, squeezing his hand in thanks.

"You don't think that they have other operations like that out there do you?"  
Her question caused a pregnant silence to fill the car.

Dean was the one to break it. "If there are, we'll be there to bust it up."

His voice held strong conviction and she breathed a sigh of relief.  
These guys were nothing short of amazing in her book.

.o0o.

Red blinking lights never showed in their rearview and as they turned into the motel parking lot they all breathed easier.

Dean parked next to her Plymouth, letting the engine idle.

Piling out of the Impala Kim gave it a fond touch of appreciation and turned to help Sam pull her brother from the back. She quickly took up the stance as his crutch while Dean unlocked her car.

"Thanks man" Kevin said as he shook first Dean's hand then Sam's.  
He gingerly maneuvered into the passenger side bucket seat and swiveled his leg in.  
"Look, I owe you guy's my life, and my sister's." Kevin's eyes were dead serious as he met Dean's.  
"If you need anything, even ten years down the road and I'm still breathing, you come find me."

Dean could respect that. "You got it; you just watch out for that firecracker."  
He shut the door with a final "Take care" and a firm couple of pats to the roof as Kevin lifted his fingers in a half salute.

The brother's turned to face Kim and her wavering smile. "Y'all are going to disappear right?"

Dean lifted the corner of his lips "We were never here." His eyes crinkled and she felt her breath hitch as she fought the tears choking her.

"Thank you, both, for what you did." Her voice was thick but they graciously ignored it.

Sam stepped forward to hug her tightly. "You be careful" he whispered, handing her a piece of paper with a number scrawled on it.  
She looked up and he shrugged, "Just in case."

"I don't know if I should feel reassured or freaked out" she laughed, dashing away an errant tear.

Sam smiled, ducking his head before giving a slight wave, his other hand in his pocket as he ambled off to their motel room to pack.

The wind picked up, dark gray clouds heralding rain as thunder sounded off in the distance.  
Kim fought her hair, batting it away from her face.

By the time she turned around Dean was standing there looking down at her pointedly.  
"How did you survive all these years?" He teased.

"Oh shut up" Kim said blushing.

He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms, trying for stern. "I don't expect to see you again."

"Yes Principal Winchester" she grumped, then stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.  
"Thank you Dean." Her voice choked and she tried to convey what it meant to her that they had helped her to find her brother and return him to her.

She had the feeling he knew though, if his eyes said anything it was that he understood.

She got the impression, too, that they didn't really get a lot of appreciation for what they did very often.

"Like he said" she motioned with a toss of her head back to the 'Cuda  
"If you ever need any help or a place to stay, look me up. I owe you but that's not the reason for the offer, you've made a lifelong friend in me, you and Sam."

She veered around him and opened the driver's side door just as another rumble of thunder crashed, closer this time than the last.

She waved at Sam who stood framed by the ugly, peeling doorway of the motel room, then climbed in to the dusky old Barracuda.  
She gave Dean one last nod before flipping the ignition on, popping the car out of reverse lock out and cranking the engine. The dual exhaust coughed once as the motor purred to life then smoothed out to a rumbling growl.

Standing where he was he could feel the vibrations through the blacktop creeping up into his chest.  
Yeah, she might not look like much but she was running on some serious ponies.

With a parting rev the car was swinging back out onto asphalt and taking off for the nearest hospital.

Dean slid into his Baby, letting his fingers trail over the steering wheel.  
"I'd still never trade you for anything" he whispered before edging the car back over to the motel room so Sam could toss in their stuff.

"Got everything?" He asked as his long legged little brother slid into shotgun.

Sam smiled thinly and gave a nod, closing the door with a metallic creak just as the rain started to drizzle down.

Twenty minutes later the Impala was well on her way, roaring down the interstate headed west, leaving the storm behind.

Dean took a long steady breath, blasting Metallica as they traveled on, windows rolled down and the pavement rushing beneath them.

He peered over at his silent companion and made a decision. Sliding his hand along the back seat he patted Sam's shoulder. The smile returned was brighter than Dean had seen since before all this mess started and he knew it was the right choice.

Yeah they had their issues, but right now, driving down the road with his little brother by his side, all that could take a back seat.

He was right where he needed to be and nothing else mattered.

.o0o.

.The End.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for sticking with me!  
In regards to the ending I can only say, is it really an end? Perhaps we may see the siblings back again in the future. I hope this little venture was well received and I would love to know your thoughts on it.

As it is, this is the farewell of my first ever Supernatural story. It was a blast! -Jade


End file.
